The Tragic History of Barrage de Malpasset

I visited the remains of the Barrage de Malpasset, a dam that was built in the late 1950s in the Var region of France. The engineering design was supposed to withstand natural events but it ended tragically. In December 1959, the dam burst and a wave of water swept through the valley, causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of 423 people. Upon further investigation, it was concluded that a geological phenomenon known as karst caused the failure of the dam. The history and vast impacts of this event are deeply intriguing and an important reminder for future civil engineering and safety accomplishments.