Laos dam colapse ,hundreds missing thousands homeless no communications

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by arleigh, Jul 24, 2018.


  1. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Apparently the heavy rains were more than the engineering had expected and one dam couldn't take it any more .
    They had been building dams for generating power to sell to Cambodia ,but it doesn't serve every one. the lives it disrupts with these dams both for farming and such is short sighted .
    The tragedy happened in moments ,the dam didn't just start leaking it burst open .
    Do you live in the proximity of a dam/levee ?
    From the time it breaks ,how long is it going to take for the water to reach your home ?
    I'm reminded of the tsunami that hit Japan just a few years ago and the devastation that washed a city off the map almost.
    There is a dam approximately 10 miles from my home a significant water resource for surrounding communities , however it resides in an area that get's flash flooding .
    Given the worst of conditions significant rain and an earth quake , in spite of men's best engineering somethings just can't be factored in . It seems prudent to take a good look at the lay of the land to see if it can possibly be a real threat .
     
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  2. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Lost a dam two years ago, not of my making, here when I bought the place. Too costly to replace! No damage but I lost a lot of capacity.
     
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  3. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++

    Never live downstream from a dam! Your life could very well depend upon it.
    I did once - before I left the communist state of NY. Hurricane Irene came in and the narrow valleys upstate couldn't handle it. My house on the road in the search term was the only one left intact. I had put a new, foundation under it when I purchased it. complete with raising the structure eight feet, and adding heavy earth berms around the foundation.
    The dam was one of the water sources for NYC... friggin thieves.

    priddle road esperance ny blenheim flood - Google Search
     
  4. 3M-TA3

    3M-TA3 Cold Wet Monkey

    Thoughts and prayers, hoping for some miracles.

    Failures like this happen everywhere, even in the US: Teton Dam - Wikipedia .
    [​IMG]
    I visited the site when I lived in Idaho Falls many years ago to see the remnants of the failed dam. Agreed - don't live below a dam.
     
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  5. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Actually my question would be how far from a dam would be a safe distance. I know that size of dam, topography of land below dam etc. all need to be factored in. I have friends that bought a home about 5 miles from a big dam back East. the land is more flat and not directly downhill from the dam. I have often wondered if they were safe.
     
  6. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++

    Where I was located was 40+ miles downstream, and the valley floor widened out into a flood plain a couple miles wide at that point, then narrowed down between some high cliffs. Pic enclosed. It was strong enough to take out I-90 another thirty miles further down as well.
    Until it happens you just cannot imagine..
    Mine was the "one". It's off to the right @ 3:10 into the video.

    "There were 19 homes on the Schoharie Creek at Priddle Road in Esperance NY on August 28th, 2011. With the advent of Hurricane Irene and the subsequent flooding two remained, one was abandoned. So it is just that one. It's been almost a year and things are getting worse. Much worst than anything which you may have heard"

    schoharie_flood.

     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2018
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  7. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I think my insurance agent said 1 in 5 houses that get flooded are not in a flood zone. Hurricane Irene was devastating to many areas. My family is back East and some houses are missing, the rivers changed, roads missing, bridges gone. Irene was not expected to hit that hard where it did. Thanks for showing the video @Lancer. I do not think people realized how bad it was.
     
  8. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    I live on a hill, I have flood insurance.
    A flood is defined as more water accumulates than can drain off in a given length of time.
    Super low risk equals super low rate.
    No I did not always have insurance any insurance, but then I was lucky and never had the need.
    But how long should you trust Lady Luck against Mother Nature?
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2018
  9. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    I have lived in places that had flooded out, and don't live there any more, but unless your living on a hill, it's not a flood, it's fire that will be a threat .
    Looking at the google maps I don't think I am in any danger here against the dam breaking however the devastation could put millions at risk .
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2018
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    You can use Google Earth to find elevations. If you are above the impound high water level, flooding is not a problem. Below that level and you need to look at the surrounding geography and figure out how high the initial flows might reach. Your state univ will have that kind of data, or should. (This nekka has known floods, which is why I was careful to buy on a hill top. 600 feet of separation from a stream that hasn't flooded in the historical record, well, I don't need flood insurance ---)
     
  11. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    All sounds good, except, should you live on a hill side a massive rain fall can come down that hill and flood your home. Yes the water will just run through the house but it is still a flood by definition.

    After that happened to a neighbor he built berms to protect and redirect the water in that area.
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2018
  12. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Come to think of it , when I was living in the mountains we had snow and rain several times, that turned to slush that didn't move, homes and roads were flooded and almost no one could move till the big equipment could open areas for the slush to move out .
     
    HK_User likes this.
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