Vega de Tera disaster facts for kids
The Vega de Tera disaster, also known as the Ribadelago disaster, was a terrible flood that happened very early in the morning on January 9, 1959. It took place in a small town called Ribadelago in the Province of Zamora, Spain. The flood was caused when a big dam broke, letting out a huge amount of water from the Vega de Tera reservoir. Sadly, 144 out of 664 people living in Ribadelago lost their lives. This was one of two major dam failures in Europe that year.
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Panoramic view of the Vega de Tera Reservoir in 2009. The ruptured retaining wall is visible.
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| Date | 1959 |
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| Location | Ribadelago, Province of Zamora, Spain |
| Coordinates | 42°10′41″N 6°46′44″W / 42.178°N 6.779°W |
| Cause | Dam failure |
| Deaths | 144 |
Contents
Building the Vega de Tera Dam
The Vega de Tera dam was built in a mountain area near the Tera River. This river flows through the beautiful Sanabria Lake Natural Park. The area is made up of strong rocks like granite.
Workers started building the dam in 1954 and finished it in 1956. The dam wall was about 33 meters (108 feet) high and stretched 380 meters (1,247 feet) across the river. It was designed to hold a lot of water, about 7.8 million cubic meters (over 2 billion gallons). This dam was part of a bigger system of man-made lakes and canals. A company called Hidroeléctrica Moncabril managed the dam. They used the water to make electricity.
The Night of the Flood
Just before dawn on January 9, 1959, a large part of the dam wall suddenly broke. Millions of cubic meters of water burst out from the Vega de Tera reservoir.
A huge amount of water rushed out very quickly. This powerful flood traveled about 8 kilometers (5 miles) downstream towards Ribadelago. The town was located right in the path of the water.
The water moved at an incredible speed, about 30 meters per second (67 miles per hour). People in the town heard a loud roar, but they didn't have enough time to escape before the water hit. The fast-moving water carried along many tree trunks and other debris.
Most of the buildings in Ribadelago were destroyed by the powerful flood. The water was very deep, reaching up to 34 meters (112 feet) in some places. The force of the flood dragged many victims into Sanabria Lake. More than 1,500 farm animals also died.
Because the town was in a remote area and the disaster happened so early, help didn't arrive until the next morning. Rescue teams could only find 28 bodies from the lake. After the flood, the level of Sanabria Lake rose by 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) because of all the water and mud that flowed into it.
What Happened After the Disaster
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The Vega de Tera disaster led to important changes in Spain. In 1962, the government created new rules for how large dams should be designed, built, and managed. These rules were updated again in 1967. A special group called the Dam Surveillance Service was also created to make sure dams were safe.
A court case was held in 1963. It was decided that the company, Hidroeléctrica Moncabril, had to pay a large amount of money, about 19.3 million Spanish pesetas. A report during the trial said that the dam's design was faulty. Experts also found that the materials used to build the dam were not strong enough. They couldn't handle the increased water pressure, especially after heavy rainfall before the disaster. Some people who saw the dam being built had even reported leaks.
The court decided that the managing director of the company, two engineers, and an expert were responsible for what happened. They were found guilty of being careless. However, their sentences were later changed, and they were either cleared or pardoned.
After the flood, people donated a lot of money, about 12 million pesetas, to help the survivors. Families who lost loved ones received money. For example, families of adults who died received €600 (Euros). Families of children under 10 received €300. People who were injured also received some money. Many survivors moved to other towns like Zamora and Benavente.
See also
- List of dam failures
In Spanish: Catástrofe de Ribadelago para niños
