Aberfan Mass Movement Case Study

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Aberfan Disaster, Wales

  • Waste from mining was deposited on the slopes of Aberfan. 
  • A crew arrived to begin work at tip number seven. On arrival, they realised that the tip has slumped a little but they had no phone to report with. 
  • Tip number seven was located above a spring with water seeping through the sadnstone that emerged in the lower part of the tip, removing material from the toe and increasing gradient. 
  • Water that was unable to drain at the foot of the tip turned into thick, black quicksand. 
  • Long spell of rain beforehand. 
  • 120 deaths. 
  • Psychological damage
  • Primary school, chapel and 18 terrace houses knocked down. 
  • Social tensions in the villiage between those who had lost children and those who haden't. 
  • River Taff was clogged with colliery filth. 
  • Grass where spoil was changed colour. 
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Responses to Aberfan Disaster

  • Roads became congested with firefighters,police, ambulance and army. 
  • Salvation army volunteers carried bodies away and washed away black slurry. 
  • Aberfan disaster fund rasied 1,750,000
  • Villiages campaigned for the rest of the tips to be removed. 
  • Journalist came to take photographs. 
  • Legislation passed in 1989 on tipping. 
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