Zeyzoun Dam
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The Zeyzoun Dam ( also: " Zezoun ", " Zayzoun ", " Seisun " ) on a tributary of the Orontes River north of Hama ( Hamah ) in the province of Hama in Syria, about 350 km north of Damascus, broke on June 4, 2002nd the death toll from the tsunami is unclear; in the reports is spoken mostly by 22, but also 20, 27, 50 or up to 100.
The building
The building, which was completed in 1996 near the village of Zeyzoun, is a dam, probably from Erdschüttmaterial, as can be seen from satellite images.
The building had a height of 32 m above the foundation level. The storage capacity of the reservoir was 71 million cubic meters. How 150 other dams in Syria was used for irrigation of fields this dam.
The disaster
It is reported by rainfall in the period before the break. The dam should have been fully loud population opinion. By noon of June 4 ( 09:00 GMT) were discovered cracks in the dam. The population was warned thereby and flow downstream villages were partially evacuated. Hundreds of people were able to escape in time to save themselves and to higher ground. At 15:40 local time clock broke the dam and caused a tidal wave. Some reports speak of cracks even a few days earlier and of poor maintenance.
In the break many million cubic meters of water have been given, which put several villages up to four feet of water. The Red Cross and the Red Crescent estimated that 8,000 people were left homeless. Five villages and fields and herds of cattle on a total of 60 square kilometers were flooded. Particularly affected villages Zeyzoun, Ziara and Qastoun were ( Kastoon ). The number of victims is not known exactly why, because many nomads have been in the field. Also areas in Turkey ( Hatay Province ) were flooded.
Syria has asked after the disaster the United Nations for help, whereupon an UNDAC team (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination ) has been sent, with the participation of the German THW there.
It later came to court proceedings against those responsible. The dam was rebuilt.