The Thredbo Landslide

What I already know about The Thredbo Landslide.

There was one main survivor of the landslide, Stuart Diver. He is a 21 year old ski instructor.Stuart Diver's fitness and remakable will to live saved his life.The survival of Stuart Diver can only be described as truly remarkable and all Australians thoughts are with him as he comes to the realisation of the loss of his wife and friends in the tragedy. His wife Sally was a victim of the landslide.

Description of The Thredbo Landslide

Thredbo is in the Snowy Mountains a very steep area in Australia, where it has often had below zero temperatures.

Thredbo is very well known for its snow and skiing.

One hundred tonnes of dirt slid down the mountain, all but obliterating two ski lodges.

You can learn more by looking at the Behind The News site.

We accept the relative dangers of living in the mountains, but this is not something you expect to happen here in Australia. Let's hope that we never see a repeat of this disaster in Australia, it is surely avoidable ... doesn't Mother Nature have a brutal way of reminding us who's boss.

Ian Pilmer - 0f Melbourne University said "Steep sloped Alpine areas with thin soils and saturated soils are going to move. They've done it for thousands of years, they'll continue to do it."

Immediate effect of the Thredbo Landslide

Rescuers searched frantically, 18 people died. The managing director of Thredbo Alpine Resort, Mr. David Osborn, accused the State Government's National Parks and Wildlife Service of not doing enough to quickly reconstruct the road, located above the village.

Social Impact of The Thredbo Landslide

It had lots of media coverage throughout the nights it happened.

Mr Osborn said the resort had recommended to the ski clubs and lodge owners who manage 19 properties out of the 237 at Thredbo that because of their proximity to the Alpine Way they not occupy their lodge this winter. The people who owned the property were blamed for the landslide.

The New South Wales Government promised a full inquiry into the tragedy. People have established a Thredbo Relief Fund for the families of the victims.

What Australians learned as a result of The Thredbo Landslide

Australians learned not to buy properties that had a possibility that they could slide.

They learned to take notice of what engineers said regarding to mountains.

Australians also learned when in a disaster to never give up.

Research by James 6H

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Elanora Heights Primary School Computer Co-ordinator : Judith Bennett

This page was last modified on the 18th June, 1998