During
the exception precipitation of October 2000 (14th) debris
flows flowed down to the village of Fully situated in the Rhone Valley
stopping all around the village. The difference of level is at least
1000 m, between source area and the deposit (Figs. 1 to 3). By chance
it stopped at the limit of the village causing small damages compared
to the potential one, but destroying a great surface of vineyards
of famous valaisan Wine. The debris flow took its source in fluvial-glacial
deposits and scree slopes.
This
catastrophe seems having a human origin. A pipe and a tunnel of a
hydroelectric device serving to collect water presented some working
defects. A leakage of the pipe in the talus slope induced the debris
flow.
Fig.
2: View of the channel and the source area of the debris-flow.
Fig.
3: View of the source area and of the debris flow and of the new
incision in the topography generated by the debris flow.
References :
CREALP :
The
Garettes debris flow above the commune of Fully, 15th October,
2000 (Photographs).
