| On July 30, 1997 a huge landslide rolled over the | | | | area. Many people suffered trauma from the event |
| Thredbo Ski village in Australia causing massive | | | | and still experience nightmares, and other such medical |
| damage and virtually burying the resort; cars, buildings, | | | | or psychological conditions. |
| people and all! The loose earth, rock, and foliage swept | | | | The economic impact to the area was of course very |
| down the slope and crashed into the Bimbadeen | | | | significant. Business to the resort obviously came to a |
| Lodge, a multi-level building, used to house guests. | | | | full stop. Millions of dollars had to be spent to repair and |
| Eighteen people died as a direct result of the landslide, | | | | rebuild the facility and it took quite a long time to |
| most were buried alive. | | | | complete the repairs and reopen for business. Lost |
| The landslide brought one thousand tones of earth, | | | | revenues from the closure and from the reduced level |
| rock, trees and debris down the slope of the mountain | | | | of tourism were enormous. |
| cutting a four hundred meter wide swath. Rescue | | | | Landslides are not often considered to be significant |
| efforts where made even more difficult due to the | | | | issues in so far as natural disasters are concerned. |
| occurrence of secondary minor landslides, and | | | | They usually occur in more isolated areas and their |
| unstable soft earth. | | | | effects are only felt by relatively small local populations. |
| The damage to the resort was devastating. Sheared | | | | One must realize, however, that in the last one |
| water, gas, and oil lines had to be capped before | | | | hundred and sixty five years over one hundred and |
| rescue operations could even begin. It took 55 hours | | | | fifty landslides have caused an estimated two hundred |
| before any survivors could even be located. Many | | | | million dollars in damages. They have damaged |
| vehicles where destroyed by the flowing earth. The | | | | hundreds of buildings, both homes and businesses, and |
| Carinya lodge was swept right off its foundations and | | | | destroyed roads, pipelines, crops, and disrupted local |
| hurled into the Bimbadeen Lodge. Both multi-floor | | | | utilities. These same landslides have killed at least 73 |
| buildings where completely crushed as a result of the | | | | people and injured many more. Obviously, such a |
| landslide. | | | | landslide can cause economic loss and hardship for an |
| The social impact on the resort was substantial. | | | | operating business. Proper planning is essential to |
| Tourism to the resort dropped as a result of the | | | | reduce the risks associated with any type of natural |
| landslide. Most people where afraid to return to the | | | | disaster. |