Iraq's Mosul dam could collapse and unleash a disaster with 45-feet high waves

Fearing a possible collapse of the Mosul Dam in Iraq, the United States has urged governments to quickly mobilize its resources to prevent a disaster and a "humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions" in case the dam does collapse. In recent months there has been signs of a possible breach in Iraq`s largest dam and this could unleash a wave as high as 45 feet that would devastate Mosul and flood much of the capital Baghdad. As a result, nearly 1.5 million people would be at grave risk.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 10 March 2016.

US Ambassador Samantha Power has informed all UN member states to take immediate steps after he was briefed on the subject by Iraq`s UN Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim. The ambassador has described briefings by technical experts, engineers and representatives from UN aid and development agencies as "chilling."
Incidentally, the Mosul dam in northern Iraq was built on an unstable foundation that is continuously eroding. There was a lapse in required maintenance because the ISIS jihadist group had briefly seized it in 2014 and that has weakened the already flawed structure.
The caution has been sounded that in case of a breach, it could release flood waves of up to 45-feet high that could sweep up everything in its path, including people, cars, unexploded ordnance, waste and other hazardous material and that would further endanger the massive population centers that lie in the flood path.
Obviously, repair work must be undertaken on immediate priority and Iraqis must be well informed about the best evacuation routes. An Italian firm has been selected to carry out crucial repair work on the dam, which is currently protected by Kurdish peshmerga forces.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Didi knows that ghosts have their uses (satire)

‘Make in India’ concept to market Ganga water (satire)

Moody throws light on conversion and smartness (satire)


Loss of bees and butterflies is disturbing the ecological balance

Madhya Pradesh to promote tiger tourism

China wants to fight terrorism in Xinjiang with entertainment, singing and dancing


Quantum jump for Priyanka Chopra from Quantico to Baywatch

Kissing scenes in movies – why this fad has never caught on in Bollywood

British actor Tom Hardy could become the new face of James Bond after Daniel Craig


Airstrikes in Syria target schools and hospitals - nearly 50 children killed

F-22 Stealth Bombers of the US fly low over South Korea skies

North Korea plans to carry out terror attacks on South Korea