Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Headlines SS1

Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Evidence SS2 Source: Local police report No traces of explosives have been found near the dam. Source: Geological Society website Landslides may be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rain and flooding. Source: Indostani newspaper of 1981 The Sefin Dam was completed today 20 months ahead of schedule and well under budget. The speed at which it was built has led to worries about the quality of its construction. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) Suggest monitoring a small bulge in the dam wall on the lower right corner of the upstream side. Source: Local weather monitoring station There is a wet season every year in this area, but this year has been particularly wet with many heavy bouts of rain. Source: Geological survey of the area A sandstone quarry to the north of the River Sefin provided rock fill for the embankment dam. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) The spillway tunnel had to be cleared of sediment to prevent a blockage building up. Source: Nayson Bhatt (geologist) Heavy rainfall erodes rocks. This increases the amount of sediment being carried into the reservoir. Source: Geological Society website The natural heating and cooling of rocks can lead to their cracking. Source: Paul Hine (civil engineer) Overtopping (water flowing over the top of a dam) for several months could wear away the rocks of the dam walls. Source: Ian Cezair (construction worker) Concrete is a wonderful building material. It is strong, waterproof and does not break up easily. Source: Dam safety check manual Without a solid foundation a dam will collapse. If there are signs that water is flowing under a dam the gap must be filled with concrete immediately.

Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Evidence SS3 Source: Use caution when travelling to some areas of Indostan as the country has a history of political unrest. Source: The Planet tabloid newspaper A helicopter was seen flying over the dam the day before it burst. Source: Geological Society website Landslides may be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rain and flooding. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) Suggest monitoring a small bulge in the dam wall on the lower right corner of the upstream side. Source: Local weather monitoring station Rainfall in the Sefin dam area in the week before the dam burst was 40 cm. This is more than double the normal level for this season. Source: Geological survey of the area A sandstone quarry, which is to the north of the River Sefin, provided rock fill for the embankment dam. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) The spillway tunnel had to be cleared of sediment to prevent a blockage building up. Source: Nayson Bhatt (geologist) Heavy rainfall erodes rocks. This increases the amount of sediment being carried into the reservoir. Source: Geological Society website The natural heating and cooling of rocks can lead to their cracking. Source: Dam safety check manual If there are signs that water is flowing under a dam then the gap must be filled with concrete immediately. Source: Paul Hine (civil engineer) Overtopping (water flowing over the top of a dam) for several months could wear away the rocks that make up the dam walls. Source: Indostani newspaper of 1981 The Sefin Dam was completed today 20 months ahead of schedule and well under budget. The speed at which it was built has led to worries about the quality of its construction.

Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Evidence SS4 Source: Local seismograph monitoring station No seismic activity was detected around the time of the dam burst. Source: Rachel Davies (seismologist) An explosion of the magnitude needed to blow up a dam would register on a seismograph, just as an earthquake would. Source: Geological Society website Landslides may be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rain and flooding. Source: Geological Society website Porous rocks include pumice, chalk and sandstone. Examples of non-porous rocks are granite and slate. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) Suggest monitoring a small bulge in dam wall on the lower right corner of the upstream side. Source: Geological survey of the area A sandstone quarry to the north of the River Sefin provided rock fill for the embankment dam. Source: Nayson Bhatt (geologist) Heavy rainfall erodes rocks. This increases the amount of sediment being carried into the reservoir. Source: Geological Society website The natural heating and cooling of rocks can lead to their cracking. Source: When visiting Indostan, helicopter flights around the magnificent Sefin river are a real must. Source: Dam safety check manual If there are signs that water is flowing under the dam then the gap must be filled with concrete immediately. Source: Local weather monitoring station There is a wet season every year in this area, but this year has been particularly wet with many heavy bouts of rain. Source: Paul Hine (civil engineer) An expensive and time-consuming stage of building a dam is excavating down to find a suitable rock foundation for the dam.

Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Evidence SS5 Source: Geological Society website Landslides may be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rain and flooding. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) Suggest monitoring a small bulge in the dam wall on the lower right corner of the upstream side. Source: Geological survey of the area A sandstone quarry on the north of the River Sefin provided rock fill for the embankment dam. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) The spillway tunnel had to be cleared of sediment to prevent a blockage building up. Source: Nayson Bhatt (geologist) Heavy rainfall erodes rocks. This increases the amount of sediment being carried into the reservoir. Source: Dam society website The build up of sediment in a reservoir can decrease the amount of space for water. Source: Local seismograph monitoring station No seismic activity was detected around the time of the dam burst. Source: Local police report No traces of explosives have been found near the dam. Source: Local resident Anil Agarwal I walk past the dam every day. The day before the dam burst I saw water falling over the top of it. I have never seen this before. Source: Paul Hine (civil engineer) Overtopping (water flowing over the top of a dam) for several months could wear away the rocks of the dam walls. Source: Dam safety check manual Without a solid foundation a dam will collapse. If there are signs that water is flowing under a dam the gap must be filled with concrete immediately. Source: Local weather monitoring station Rainfall in the Sefin dam area in the week before the dam burst was 40 cm. This is more than double the normal level for this season.

Activity from the Catastrophe unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science This page may have been changed from the original Catastrophe Damburst 1 Disaster Evidence SS6 Source: Geological Society website Landslides may be triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rain and flooding. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) Suggest monitoring a small bulge in the dam wall on the lower right corner of the upstream side. Source: Geological survey of the area A sandstone quarry to the north of the River Sefin provided rock fill for the embankment dam. Source: Visual safety check of Sefin Dam (1 year ago) The spillway tunnel had to be cleared of sediment to prevent a blockage building up. Source: Dam safety check manual If the spillway is blocked then an increase in the height of the reservoir water might make the dam overtop (water would flow over the top of the dam). Source: Dam society website The build up of sediment in a reservoir can decrease the amount of space for water. Source: Local police report No traces of explosives have been found near the dam. Source: Local resident Anil Agarwal Just before the water flooded into the village I was woken up as my house shook. Source: Ian Cezair (construction worker) Concrete is a wonderful building material. It is strong, waterproof and does not break up easily. Source: Paul Hine (civil engineer) Overtopping for several months could wear away the rocks of the dam walls. Source: Local weather monitoring station There is a wet season every year in this area, but this area has been particularly wet with many heavy bouts of rain. Source: Dam safety check manual Without a solid foundation a dam will collapse. If there are signs that water is flowing under a dam the gap must be filled with concrete immediately.