The Tragedy of the Dam

Series

Series Name: British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.

1592

Date Released

7 Dec 1959

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

5 / 5

Summary

MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: The Tragedy of the Dam. DESCRIPTION: It happened at night: the Malpasset Dam burst and the water swept down upon the Riviera town of Frejus. Everything that stood in the path of the great torrent of water and mud was carried away, smashed, and piled up in incredible ruin. Help from the Army and the Navy was rushed to the stricken valley, help for the survivors, many of them injured and all stunned by the sudden, overwhelming catastrophe. When these first pictures were received, the toll of life was already put at some three hundred. The disaster is heart-rending, and we would all wish to echo Her Majesty’s message of sympathy, which she at once sent to President de Gaulle. SHOTLIST: TS valley. GV Malpasset Dam. GV same. Pan devastated area (2). LS same. Pan same. Pan - people amid devastation. Pan - wrecked railway carriages. Pan wrecked railway lines. LS devastated railway. Tilt rubble. MS injured being carried. Pan rubble. Pan police in raft. MS injured man being aided. Pan injured person entering ambulance. Pan rubble. Pan people amid rubble. Pan injured being carried. LS same. Pan helicopter. Pan devastation (3). Pan mud in street (2). Pan lorries (2). LS devastation area. FREJUS DAM BREAK - CARD 78795 A burst dam sent a crunching wall of water 15 to 35 feet high through a ten mile long sleeping valley in the riviera. First signs of trouble on the 300 foot Malpasset Dam showed at 6.00 pm three and a half hours before the dam burst. The water level was dangerously high and engineers opened the sluice gates. The water roared in, sweeping up everything in its path. 6000 soldiers, 1000 gendarmes, 1000 riot police, firemen and all available Red Cross and first aid workers were giving food and blankets to the homeless, first aid to the injured and were digging in the mud and rubble for the dead.

Keywords

Buildings and structures; Vehicles; Health and medicine; Environment; Aviation; Railways; Foreign aid; Accidents and disasters; Engineering; Military

Locations

France

Footage sources

France
Library
United Press International [UPI]

Card file number

78811

Credits:

Commentator: Geoffrey Sumner

Length of story (in feet)

215

Story extras:

Film clip

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