LA PIÙ GRANDE TRAGEDIA della STORIA ITALIANA – EP15 S4

LA PIÙ GRANDE TRAGEDIA della STORIA ITALIANA – EP15 S4

On the border between the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia and the provinces of Belluno and Pordinone, there is a profound silence. The Piave River, its basin, inspired Italy to dream of the great works of the Italian miracle. That dream, however, became the nightmare of the Bont Dam. October 9, 1963, 10:39 PM. Longarone, Pirago, Maè, Villanova, Rivalta, Frasein, Col delle Spesse, Il Cristo, Pineda, CEVA, Prada, Marzana, San Martino, Faè, Erto. Life in these villages would change forever. To tell this story, we must go back to the post-World War II period, or even earlier. During the economic boom of 1957, Italy urgently needed energy, and SADE, the private Adriatic electricity company nationalized in 1962 and then owned by ENEL, saw favorable geological characteristics in the narrow Vont gorge between the Carnic Prealps and Mount Toc, offering the valley the potential for use as a reservoir. The Grande Vont project was born. There was a time before the arrival of the Sade, when the isolated communities involved lived off agriculture and small-scale trade. Then came the construction of the double-arch concrete structure embedded in the lateral rocks, from 57 to 60, the tallest in the world at the time, at 265 meters, with a maximum reservoir height of 722 meters above sea level and a total reservoir of 168,715,000 cubic meters. Finally, the filling of the reservoir from 60 to 63 created an increasingly looming risk . From the very beginning of the reservoir, leaning trees, cracks in the ground, and cracks in the walls of houses were visible . The area, in fact, is characterized by a dense and uneven mix of limestone and clay. The first landslide occurred in November 1960. Someone at the top of the SADE (Italian Environmental Protection Agency) wrote about the dangers of the rising water, but later retracted. They were certain they could manage the basin while awaiting the landslide, now deemed inevitable. However, no one predicted its scale. It's worth asking how far we can go by forcing nature, forcing its processes, and when human conscience must point out that too many economic interests are being pursued to the detriment of the community and humanity as a whole. At 10:39 PM on October 9, 1963, a huge slant from Mount Toc broke away, collapsing into the basin and carrying over 270 million half-meters of rock and debris downstream. The force of the impact created two waves, one 80 meters upstream and one 170 meters downstream. The latter surged over the barrier, reaching the town of Casso, 240 meters above the dam. It flows through the narrow gorge, reaching a speed of almost 100 km/h and reaching Longarone and other villages. It took 240 seconds to erase every trace. From that moment, everything changes, and the void that will remain forever takes less than 5 minutes. The landslides and roars that survivors remember, in addition to the indelible pain, are evidenced by clear and irreversible evidence: the radical transformation of the landscape. Where once there was a deep valley, there is now a mountain formed that night. When is it right to stop, and what can we really learn at such a high price? Mount Toc still bears its enormous wound. Over the years, nature has re-greened some slopes, but the monstrous slide of rocks and debris is still visible. We approach the community of Ertovecchia, a delightful cluster of houses now abandoned. For decades, the affected villages were evacuated for safety reasons. Victims of excessive optimism, they will first pay the price for excessive caution, eventually climbing to Casso. Today, a single municipality together with neighboring Erto, breaking the sacred silence of its narrow streets on a summer day so distant from that devastating start to winter, imagining how an external intervention could upset the balances painstakingly built over time by small communities. Memory teaches, and those names of missing children, remembered with dignified simplicity, will forever bring to light the memory of one of the most dramatic events in recent Italian history. Today, however, we are no longer leaving as four, but as five. There's another member you all know, who will tell us something later, because this is his home and this is ours. Our usual journey with them. We depart from the town of Auronzo di Cadore. We're headed in company, and what company it is: Lake Misurina. And good morning from the splendid Dolomites. Here too, as I've already said in the Marche, you wake up in the morning with a cup of coffee, look at what's around you, and you've made your day, as they say. We saved you the drive from Vanes di Cadore to Longarone and from Longarone to Auronzo, because from the Vont dam perhaps the only thing we could bring to the canal was silence, and that's what we did. We want to share with you what we're seeing right now, simply by driving through the town of Auronzo. Misurina has opened up a road, which we're traveling along, and it's amazing. Traffic a little less so. The asphalt is being resurfaced here. We've encountered several roadworks, including on the rest pass we were supposed to cross today, but which will be closed from September 1st to 12th for work. Beppe was wondering why, given that it's September and perhaps tourism is still around, it occurred to us that the 2026 Milan Cortina event might play a role. Perhaps the area wants to be in tip-top shape, or perhaps we're just guessing wrong. We're almost to the lake, but work continues. Personally, I hate road surfaces in these conditions, on a motorbike, of course, but at the same time, I'd like to share a comparison between the GS and the Terona with the remote control—the fact that you can feel the front end, but you can't feel it. The big sister feels more confident. Whether or not this is actually safer, it's better never to find out. Surrounded, we're in heaven on earth. The ones in front of us even seem squared off by man. Meanwhile, we're at a loss. A hamlet of Auronzo di Cadore, 1756 m, which is the lake's altitude, and the Pio X Institute here on our right, which for years has played a crucial role, especially in childhood asthma, was opened due to the area's excellent climate. Currently extremely popular with tourists because the essential conditions for treating it were created here. You must immediately climb up here to the right where I'm coming forward. Lake Misurina has a perimeter of about 2.6 km and has been leaking water since 2022 due to a leak in the southern section . Those in charge of maintenance are working on this, also to raise funds to help fix the problem. Just here on the bend. Beppe will leave us while we continue towards the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, precisely because to access it, especially during this period, you have to reserve parking. They did this precisely to limit the number of tourists. From here to the barrier it's 1.8 km. The cost per vehicle is €26 for 12 hours. By accessing the website, they give you the available time. From that time, you have 12 hours in which you can stay without even leaving the parking lot. To be picky, €26 for a motorcycle, €40 for a car, and €60 for a camper. If you come in a camper and want to sleep, you can do so, as long as you don't camp, so no awnings, tables, chairs, or anything else. Stop the station, except for authorized personnel, and we are authorized thanks to the €26. What time is reservation? 14. Okay, you're already set, you can go. I need to show them. Perfect. Thanks. When you make the reservation, you have to enter your vehicle's license plate, so as you just saw, they won't ask you anything at the entrance. We had a reservation for 2:00 PM, now it's 4:00 PM, so you can come in whenever you want within the 12 hours. So the question of what time you had reservation was more of a test to see if we were ready to give you a time. Come on, come on, better this way. Absolutely . So now let's enjoy this €26 all together, especially since we're not having dinner tonight because we've already spent the €26, so let's at least enjoy the view. Oh my goodness, guys, a few hairpin bends along the way. Here's another one, but between Piedmont, Lombardy, and Trentino. We're super friendly. I see a bus, but I'll try, guys, I'll try. I'll try, I'll try. I know, I know, I know I'm cumbersome too. But come on, we managed to escape like an eel. Anyway, you've seen so many buses, because if you don't want to come with your own vehicle and therefore pay for your own ticket, you can come by bus from Auronzo, but we don't know the actual price. Guys, what the hell is this? What the hell is this? My goodness! What a day! We chose it for you and for us too. My goodness! 800 meters to the parking lot. The Auronzo refuge, meanwhile, is above us. And for those wondering what the view is like, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, where you're at 2,320 meters above sea level, let's try to climb to the top. This is what our eyes see. This is really the case with saying no. Our nephew is always in the way. My goodness! My goodness! My goodness! It's incredible, we can almost touch them with our fingers. How exciting! You should take this path to see the three peaks from the best perspective. Unfortunately, we're also on our motorcycles. We'll definitely be back in other guises, but we'll leave you with the image taken from the web. What more could we ask for? Let's go back to Beppe, especially since it's 10°C (50°F) and we're going with our bikes. Let's just say our melting hearts are warmed by what we see and what we can enjoy. The cherry on top would be to have a camper, sleep here and be there tomorrow morning at 6:00, drive the entire loop in about four hours, maybe wait for milder weather to take some amazing photos—obviously, a camper with a motorcycle in tow. This is part of the first commandment, also written in the prenuptial agreement, so let's say goodbye for now to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, whose highest peak, Cima Grande, reaches 2,999 m. Near the Tre Cime di Lavaredo lies the border between the provinces of Belluno, Auronzo di Cadore, and Dobbiaco, Bolzano, a border that was reestablished after the First World War. And it's the same one that in 1752 divided the Holy Roman Empire from the Republic of Venice. The lands we're crossing are clearly mythical, rich in history, as well as exhilaratingly beautiful, recognized throughout the world. So much so that the Tre Cime di Lavaredo are among the most famous mountaineers in the world. Back at the lake, let's see if we can find Beppe. Here he is. We set off from Lake Misurina, enjoying it anyway, even though the light is fading, and we continue to dream to the end. I'd add that we're off again smoothly because we have a guide, a local guide, a local guide, and in fact what we'll do now is cross the Veneto-Friuli Venezia Giulia regional border via the Mauria Pass. The clouds have gathered, even though it's now late afternoon, but we can consider ourselves lucky. Once we've descended to the valley, the guide suggests the Mauria Pass, but first Pelos di Cadore, because the "pelos" is always a good idea. We're still at B's 62 years. Test yours too, but 47. Mine are 62. We've entered the territory of Lorenzago di Cadore, the last municipality that will accompany us towards Frioli Venezia Giulia. Vozza, guys. How beautiful! The Mauria isn't bad. This one is beautiful. The most interesting part comes now. The asphalt is perfect here. First hairpin bend. This one is really beautiful. Footrest stand. These suspensions are too, too soft. Uh. อ Not a joke here either, eh. You can see a hole in the wall. Here we are. Passo Mauria, 1298 m. Beautiful, beautiful. Very, very green. But then there's no one there at this hour. Truly spectacular. Welcome to Frioli Venezia Giulia. Forni di sopra 8 km. Spectacular Carnic Alps. Things are a little worse here. Yes, the first stretch is a little worse, but now the technician picks up. I feel a bit like Guido Meda right now . Mark might even hire her. He picks him up. You jump in, jump in instead. I think Vania called Beppe. Hurry up! I threw down the pasta." He must have said to him, "Come on, you know they're chronically late, make them get a move on." You see that sign up there at the top that says "It's born right here, It flows through the entire region until it empties into the Adriatic Sea. A heavenly spectacle. The sun isn't shining, but it's beautiful all the same. This is beautiful, even if it's very, very narrow. Furni di sopra, right here, Friuli Venezia Giulia. We're in the municipality of Ampezzo, which isn't Cortina, but Ampezzo della Carnia, the physical region we're crossing. And look how the weather has changed as we get closer to Udine. Temperature 22°, as we often say, the most beautiful time of day. We'll even have a cruise if everything's okay. Amazing. Writings in the Friulian language have started to appear, and this is the bed of the Tagliamento River. It grows quickly, that's life, eh? We saw it being born just now, and look what it's become. The walls of Venzone, still standing after the earthquake that also hit Gemona. What a car? That's a frasca, a fraschie, a house where in the evenings, in the summer, they don't put out tables, cheese, salami, ham, wine. Actually, you might think we're in the province of Udine, but no, because you see the empanadas. And where are we if you see the empanadas? It's almost 8:30 here. I've been waiting for them all day because these guys left on their motorcycles. They live in Friuli now, so a little Friuli is needed. They live in Friuli now, so a little rigor is needed. And while they make ice cream here, this is how we ate ice cream when we were kids. 300 km on a motorcycle is well worth it. Go, Beppe, try it and let us know. Top. Goodnight. Go all for love. We're going for love for beating hearts off the charge. Love go all for love. We're going for love, baby. Going for love by for love. I bet you get it right, but don't get me wrong. Say what you say what you got say. Say what you got to say. Go like a satellite. Just go like a star. Say what say got.

Una delle più grandi tragedie della recente storia italiana…

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