SR251, the road of the megatsunami

Strada Regionale 251 is a scenic road located on the border between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, in northern Italy.

SR251

The road is totally paved with a few narrow parts. It’s 52.7 km long, running west-east from Longarone (Province of Belluno) towards Maniago (in the Province of Pordenone). The drive runs along the Vajont river and comprises stunning views of Vajont Dam, built between 1957 and 1960.

In 1963, Italy suffered the worst man-made environmental disaster in its history: a landslide caused a tsunami in the Vajont lake, in a wave of 250 metres,leading to the destruction of villages and towns, and killing almost 2,000 people. The crashing wall of water created an air pocket when it hit the ground, which was more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.

Located in the valley of the Vajont River, the road tops out at Passo di Sant'Osvaldo, at 836m (2,742ft) above the sea level. The road features many tunnels. The longest tunnel is Galleria Fara (3.96km long).

 

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