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1
00:00:02,703 --> 00:00:07,017
DISASTER ZONES...
THEY LITTER OUR PLANET.
2
00:00:07,041 --> 00:00:10,354
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE
IS DEVASTATION, WRECKAGE,
3
00:00:10,378 --> 00:00:13,757
RUINED BUILDINGS,
TORN-UP HIGHWAYS.
4
00:00:13,781 --> 00:00:16,093
AN ENTRANCE GATE COLLAPSED.
5
00:00:16,117 --> 00:00:19,229
A RUNNING TRACK
TWISTED AND CRACKED,
6
00:00:19,253 --> 00:00:23,333
AND THEN IT STARTS TO DAWN
ON YOU, THIS PLACE WAS A SCHOOL.
7
00:00:23,357 --> 00:00:26,636
SITES STRUCK
BY UNEXPECTED FORCES.
8
00:00:26,660 --> 00:00:30,273
OTHERS,
THE VICTIM OF HUMAN AMBITION.
9
00:00:30,297 --> 00:00:32,009
LIFE CAN BARELY SURVIVE HERE,
10
00:00:32,033 --> 00:00:35,645
SO WHY ON EARTH WOULD
ANYONE BUILD A VILLAGE HERE?
11
00:00:35,669 --> 00:00:38,682
IT LOOKS LIKE
A POST-APOCALYPTIC LANDSCAPE.
12
00:00:38,706 --> 00:00:40,517
YOU HAVE TO WONDER,
WAS IT BOMBED?
13
00:00:40,541 --> 00:00:42,119
DID ANYONE SURVIVE?
14
00:00:42,143 --> 00:00:43,787
WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
15
00:00:43,811 --> 00:00:47,324
10 OF THE WORLD'S
STRANGEST DISASTER ZONES,
16
00:00:47,348 --> 00:00:49,860
ANNIHILATED BY MOTHER NATURE,
17
00:00:49,884 --> 00:00:54,131
FATAL MISCALCULATION,
OR BIZARRE PHENOMENA...
18
00:00:54,155 --> 00:00:55,799
MY GOODNESS, AT TIMES,
19
00:00:55,823 --> 00:00:57,868
IT WAS LIKE
TURNING DAY INTO NIGHT.
20
00:00:57,892 --> 00:01:01,171
THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT
IS BEING CHANGED.
21
00:01:01,195 --> 00:01:04,674
THERE WAS AN ENTIRE TOWN THERE
THAT'S NOW GONE.
22
00:01:04,698 --> 00:01:07,310
...EACH WITH
A UNIQUE STORY TO TELL,
23
00:01:07,334 --> 00:01:11,314
SOME STILL REVEALING
THEIR SECRETS.
24
00:01:11,338 --> 00:01:12,916
IS THERE STILL LIFE?
25
00:01:12,940 --> 00:01:16,953
IS THIS FINISHED,
OR IS STILL YET MORE TO COME?
26
00:01:16,977 --> 00:01:20,190
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE
IS TERRIFYING.
27
00:01:20,214 --> 00:01:25,195
THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCES UNLEASHED
COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.
28
00:01:28,622 --> 00:01:31,568
...
Captions by VITAC...
www.vitac.com
29
00:01:31,592 --> 00:01:34,571
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
30
00:01:39,266 --> 00:01:40,644
AT NUMBER 10
31
00:01:40,668 --> 00:01:42,879
ON THE WORLD'S STRANGEST
DISASTER ZONES,
32
00:01:42,903 --> 00:01:46,083
IN ETHIOPIA,
A PLACE THAT SCREAMS DANGER
33
00:01:46,107 --> 00:01:49,419
BUT WHERE HUMANKIND CHOSE
TO SETTLE REGARDLESS.
34
00:01:54,115 --> 00:01:58,195
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
OTHERWORLDLY PLACES
35
00:01:58,219 --> 00:01:59,863
ON PLANET EARTH.
36
00:02:02,323 --> 00:02:04,468
IT'S AN ALIEN LANDSCAPE
37
00:02:04,492 --> 00:02:06,470
WHERE YELLOW, GREEN, AND RED
38
00:02:06,494 --> 00:02:09,539
COLOR THESE MYSTICAL
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
39
00:02:11,532 --> 00:02:13,076
THESE COLORS ARE PSYCHEDELIC.
40
00:02:13,100 --> 00:02:14,478
THESE ARE DANGER SIGNS.
41
00:02:14,502 --> 00:02:16,079
THESE ARE WARNING SIGNS.
42
00:02:16,103 --> 00:02:18,315
IT FEELS UNNATURAL.
43
00:02:20,875 --> 00:02:23,487
THIS PLACE IS REALLY A FURNACE.
44
00:02:23,511 --> 00:02:26,323
THERE'S NO SHADE
TO BE FOUND FOR MILES.
45
00:02:26,347 --> 00:02:28,024
THERE'S NO VEGETATION,
46
00:02:28,048 --> 00:02:30,060
AND YOU'VE GOT THE SUN
BEATING DOWN ON YOU.
47
00:02:30,084 --> 00:02:32,963
IT REALLY IS A HOTBED.
48
00:02:32,987 --> 00:02:36,032
YOU WOULD NEVER
IMAGINE FINDING PEOPLE HERE,
49
00:02:36,056 --> 00:02:40,137
BUT YET,
THERE ARE SIGNS OF LIFE.
50
00:02:40,161 --> 00:02:43,573
RISING UP OUT OF THIS STRANGE,
BLASTED LANDSCAPE,
51
00:02:43,597 --> 00:02:46,476
YOU SEE THE RUINS
OF SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY.
52
00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:50,113
YOU SEE SOME HOUSES,
BROKEN-DOWN TRUCKS,
53
00:02:50,137 --> 00:02:53,150
SOME PIPES,
BITS OF INFRASTRUCTURE,
54
00:02:53,174 --> 00:02:55,652
BUT EVERYTHING KIND OF ENCRUSTED
AND GROWING
55
00:02:55,676 --> 00:02:59,256
RIGHT OUT OF THE MATERIAL
THAT MAKES UP THE GROUND ITSELF.
56
00:03:02,416 --> 00:03:06,229
TODAY, THE VILLAGE
LOOKS DESOLATE AND ABANDONED,
57
00:03:06,253 --> 00:03:09,166
BUT AT ONE PARTICULAR TIME,
THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE
58
00:03:09,190 --> 00:03:12,402
DETERMINED ENOUGH
TO MAKE THIS THEIR HOME.
59
00:03:12,426 --> 00:03:14,337
IT'S NICKNAMED
THE LAND OF THE DEAD.
60
00:03:14,361 --> 00:03:16,039
LIFE CAN BARELY SURVIVE HERE,
61
00:03:16,063 --> 00:03:18,842
SO WHY ON EARTH WOULD
ANYONE BUILD A VILLAGE HERE?
62
00:03:25,406 --> 00:03:28,585
THIS ARID LOCATION
LIES IN THE NORTHERNMOST PART
63
00:03:28,609 --> 00:03:31,421
OF THE AFAR REGION IN ETHIOPIA.
64
00:03:31,445 --> 00:03:33,523
WORKU KEBEDE IS A LOCAL GUIDE
65
00:03:33,547 --> 00:03:36,726
WHO HAS EXPLORED
THE DANGEROUS PLACE EXTENSIVELY.
66
00:03:41,422 --> 00:03:42,899
SO THIS IS AFAR.
67
00:03:42,923 --> 00:03:45,368
WE HAVE A REALLY BRUTAL
GEOLOGY HERE,
68
00:03:45,392 --> 00:03:48,038
SO WE COME ACROSS
A LOT OF SKELETONS.
69
00:03:50,097 --> 00:03:53,710
IT'S ONE OF THE LOWEST
AND HOTTEST PLACES IN THE WORLD.
70
00:03:53,734 --> 00:03:57,002
IT'S AROUND 400 FEET
BELOW SEA LEVEL.
71
00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:01,551
THE MERCURY HERE CAN SKYROCKET
72
00:04:01,575 --> 00:04:04,888
TO MORE THAN
120 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
73
00:04:04,912 --> 00:04:06,456
BUT IT ISN'T JUST
THE TEMPERATURES
74
00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,959
THAT MAKE THIS LOCATION
SO HOSTILE.
75
00:04:11,685 --> 00:04:13,296
YOU WALK AROUND THIS AREA,
76
00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:18,768
YOU CAN HEAR THE SORT OF SALTY
CRUST CRUMBLE UNDER YOUR FEET.
77
00:04:18,792 --> 00:04:20,370
IN FACT, IT'S QUITE DANGEROUS
78
00:04:20,394 --> 00:04:23,139
AS YOU GET CLOSE
TO SOME OF THESE STAGNANT POOLS.
79
00:04:23,163 --> 00:04:25,875
THEY CAN BE A PH OF ONE OR LESS.
80
00:04:25,899 --> 00:04:29,479
THEY CAN BE JUST LIKE
SULFURIC ACID...
81
00:04:29,503 --> 00:04:31,281
AND SO THERE IS A DANGER
82
00:04:31,305 --> 00:04:32,949
THAT IF YOUR FOOT
FALLS THROUGH THE CRUST,
83
00:04:32,973 --> 00:04:34,451
YOU CAN ACTUALLY BURN YOUR SKIN.
84
00:04:34,475 --> 00:04:38,521
SO IT'S QUITE
A STARK ENVIRONMENT.
85
00:04:38,545 --> 00:04:41,591
IT'S PART OF
A RIFT-VALLEY SYSTEM
86
00:04:41,615 --> 00:04:45,695
WHERE TWO TECTONIC PLATES
ARE ESSENTIALLY PULLING APART,
87
00:04:45,719 --> 00:04:50,467
AND THE EARTH IS LITERALLY
GETTING RIPPED OPEN.
88
00:04:54,328 --> 00:04:56,773
YET FLANKED BY STEAMING FISSURES
89
00:04:56,797 --> 00:05:00,076
ARE THE SHATTERED REMAINS
OF A SETTLEMENT.
90
00:05:00,100 --> 00:05:02,846
THIS IS THE TOWN OF DALLOL.
91
00:05:06,707 --> 00:05:08,318
SO THERE'S NOT MUCH TO SEE HERE,
92
00:05:08,342 --> 00:05:12,856
BUT THERE ARE CLUES AS TO
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
93
00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,025
WHAT BROUGHT
THESE INTREPID SOULS
94
00:05:15,049 --> 00:05:19,629
TO THIS HELL ON EARTH
LIES BENEATH YOUR FEET.
95
00:05:19,653 --> 00:05:23,833
THIS CRAZY LANDSCAPE WHERE
BIOLOGY TIPS INTO CHEMISTRY
96
00:05:23,857 --> 00:05:27,737
IS CLEARLY WHY MAN CAME HERE.
97
00:05:27,761 --> 00:05:30,774
IT'S A CHEMICAL WONDERLAND.
98
00:05:30,798 --> 00:05:32,676
AND THERE WAS ONE ELEMENT
99
00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:37,314
IN DALLOL'S CHEMICAL CAULDRON
THAT THE WHOLE WORLD WANTED.
100
00:05:37,338 --> 00:05:41,951
THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR
MINERAL DEPOSIT KNOWN AS POTASH,
101
00:05:41,975 --> 00:05:45,121
WHICH IS A MISHMASH
OF VARIOUS CHEMICALS,
102
00:05:45,145 --> 00:05:48,191
BUT IT HAS A LOT
OF POTASSIUM IN IT.
103
00:05:48,215 --> 00:05:50,927
IT'S ALMOST UNIQUE TO HAVE
104
00:05:50,951 --> 00:05:55,231
SUCH CONCENTRATIONS OF POTASH
ACTUALLY AT THE EARTH'S SURFACE,
105
00:05:55,255 --> 00:05:58,635
AND WITHOUT MUCH PROCESSING,
YOU CAN LITERALLY SCRAPE
106
00:05:58,659 --> 00:06:02,238
THE POTASH
OFF THE EARTH'S SURFACE.
107
00:06:02,262 --> 00:06:06,109
POTASH IS AN AMAZING
THING THAT WE USE IN FERTILIZERS
108
00:06:06,133 --> 00:06:08,211
AND OTHER CHEMICAL REACTIONS,
109
00:06:08,235 --> 00:06:12,782
AND HERE IT IS
ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH.
110
00:06:12,806 --> 00:06:16,252
IN 1912, TWO ITALIAN ADVENTURERS
111
00:06:16,276 --> 00:06:18,988
OBTAINED THE FIRST
POTASH MINING CONCESSION,
112
00:06:19,012 --> 00:06:24,394
AND THE INDUSTRIAL EXCAVATION
OF THIS PRECIOUS RESOURCE BEGAN.
113
00:06:24,418 --> 00:06:26,296
THERE WAS A BIG DEMAND
FOR THE POTASH.
114
00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,264
AGRICULTURE WAS INCREASING
AROUND THE WORLD.
115
00:06:28,288 --> 00:06:30,667
THERE'S A BIG DEMAND
FOR FERTILIZER,
116
00:06:30,691 --> 00:06:33,970
SO MORE WORKERS BEGAN TO FLOOD
INTO THIS COMMUNITY
117
00:06:33,994 --> 00:06:37,574
TO BE PART OF THIS OPERATION.
118
00:06:37,598 --> 00:06:41,544
ONCE HERE, THEY BUILT
HOUSES HOWEVER THEY COULD.
119
00:06:45,172 --> 00:06:47,751
THE PEOPLE
WHO CAME HERE TO DIG THE MINES
120
00:06:47,775 --> 00:06:50,420
LIVED IN HOUSES LIKE THIS,
121
00:06:50,444 --> 00:06:52,756
WHICH THEY BUILT
FROM LOCAL SALT ROCK.
122
00:06:57,117 --> 00:06:59,896
IN SUCH A HARSH
AND REMOTE LOCATION,
123
00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,465
EVERYTHING,
INCLUDING DRINKING WATER,
124
00:07:02,489 --> 00:07:05,368
HAD TO BE BROUGHT
ACROSS THE PARCHED LAND,
125
00:07:05,392 --> 00:07:08,471
BUT THE MINING COMMUNITY
IN DALLOL PROSPERED.
126
00:07:11,031 --> 00:07:12,409
HERE, YOU CAN SEE A GENERATOR
127
00:07:12,433 --> 00:07:13,943
THAT WAS USED FOR WATER
128
00:07:13,967 --> 00:07:16,546
AND THE WIRES
THEY USED FOR ELECTRICITY.
129
00:07:18,539 --> 00:07:21,484
THE BLISTERING HEAT
AND UNSTABLE EARTH BELOW
130
00:07:21,508 --> 00:07:23,853
COULDN'T STOP MONEY BEING MADE.
131
00:07:23,877 --> 00:07:26,489
SOON, LARGER COMPANIES FOLLOWED,
132
00:07:26,513 --> 00:07:31,661
AND IN 1918,
A 45-MILE-LONG RAILWAY LINE
133
00:07:31,685 --> 00:07:34,531
WAS BUILT TO TRANSPORT
THE PRECIOUS POTASH
134
00:07:34,555 --> 00:07:39,836
TO THE PORT OF MERSA FATMA
IN MODERN-DAY ERITREA.
135
00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:42,639
THE RAILWAY REALLY
OPENED UP PRODUCTION,
136
00:07:42,663 --> 00:07:45,942
AND IT ALSO OPENED UP THE TOWN
TO OTHER PEOPLE.
137
00:07:45,966 --> 00:07:49,779
AT ITS PEAK,
50,000 TONS WERE BEING MINED.
138
00:07:49,803 --> 00:07:51,448
THIS WAS A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY,
139
00:07:51,472 --> 00:07:54,684
A PLACE WHERE FORTUNES
COULD BE MADE.
140
00:07:54,708 --> 00:07:57,821
POTASH FLOWED OUT OF DALLOL,
141
00:07:57,845 --> 00:08:00,790
BUT THE WORKING CONDITIONS
WERE PUNISHING.
142
00:08:03,417 --> 00:08:05,628
THERE'S ACIDIC WATERS
FLOATING AROUND.
143
00:08:05,652 --> 00:08:11,034
YOU'VE GOT SORT OF NOXIOUS FUMES
AND SALTY FLUIDS
144
00:08:11,058 --> 00:08:13,837
GETTING INTO YOUR HANDS.
145
00:08:13,861 --> 00:08:15,371
THE MINERS WERE WORKING
146
00:08:15,395 --> 00:08:17,307
IN THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EARTH.
147
00:08:17,331 --> 00:08:21,010
THIS HAD TO HAVE BEEN
A PERILOUS ENVIRONMENT AT BEST.
148
00:08:21,034 --> 00:08:23,213
STILL, THE POTENTIAL OF
WHAT COULD BE FOUND HERE,
149
00:08:23,237 --> 00:08:25,937
WHAT COULD BE EXTRACTED,
OUTWEIGHED THE RISKS.
150
00:08:28,742 --> 00:08:31,421
THEY DEVELOPED
A THRIVING LITTLE OPERATION,
151
00:08:31,445 --> 00:08:35,091
BUT IT WASN'T GOING TO LAST.
152
00:08:35,115 --> 00:08:36,226
THE HARSH CLIMATE
153
00:08:36,250 --> 00:08:38,561
AND THE RISK
OF VOLCANIC DISASTER
154
00:08:38,585 --> 00:08:40,730
THREATENED TO SHATTER DALLOL,
155
00:08:40,754 --> 00:08:44,868
BUT IN THE END, ITS DECLINE
WAS DRIVEN BY CHANGING ECONOMICS
156
00:08:44,892 --> 00:08:47,337
FOLLOWING THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
157
00:08:47,361 --> 00:08:50,907
IT BECAME EASIER TO GET POTASH
FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES
158
00:08:50,931 --> 00:08:53,710
IN GERMANY AND THE U.S.A.
159
00:08:53,734 --> 00:08:55,345
THE MINUTE THE GLOBAL MARKET
160
00:08:55,369 --> 00:08:56,679
FOR POTASH CHANGES SLIGHTLY,
161
00:08:56,703 --> 00:08:59,949
ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE TIPPED
FROM PROFIT TO NONPROFIT,
162
00:08:59,973 --> 00:09:03,419
AND WHEN THERE'S NO PROFIT,
PEOPLE LEAVE VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
163
00:09:06,813 --> 00:09:09,792
SINCE THEN,
VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL OPERATORS
164
00:09:09,816 --> 00:09:12,362
HAVE TRIED TO EXPLOIT
THE RICH RESOURCES
165
00:09:12,386 --> 00:09:17,133
THAT LIE UNDER
THE BAKING ETHIOPIAN SUN,
166
00:09:17,157 --> 00:09:19,869
BUT MOTHER NATURE
WAS ALWAYS AGAINST THEM.
167
00:09:19,893 --> 00:09:23,273
IT IS NO SURPRISE
THAT THE WORD "DALLOL" ITSELF
168
00:09:23,297 --> 00:09:26,276
MEANS "DISINTEGRATION."
169
00:09:26,300 --> 00:09:28,778
ANYTHING THAT'S METAL
IS RUSTING.
170
00:09:28,802 --> 00:09:32,148
YOU'VE ONLY GOT TO GO AND SEE
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO A LAND ROVER
171
00:09:32,172 --> 00:09:36,319
OR ANOTHER TRUCK THAT'S ONLY
BEEN THERE A FEW TENS OF YEARS,
172
00:09:36,343 --> 00:09:38,021
AND IT IS LITERALLY IN PIECES.
173
00:09:38,045 --> 00:09:43,626
THE PLACE
IS A HORRIBLE PLACE TO LIVE.
174
00:09:43,650 --> 00:09:46,896
MOTHER NATURE DIDN'T
SET UP THIS ENVIRONMENT
175
00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,331
TO BE FRIENDLY TO HUMANS,
176
00:09:48,355 --> 00:09:50,934
AND I THINK IT TOOK
A FEW DECADES,
177
00:09:50,958 --> 00:09:52,869
BUT HUMANS EVENTUALLY
GOT THE HINT.
178
00:09:58,765 --> 00:10:02,345
THOUGH THE VILLAGE
LIES DESOLATE AND ABANDONED NOW,
179
00:10:02,369 --> 00:10:05,615
NOT ALL THE MINING
HAS STOPPED IN THE AREA.
180
00:10:05,639 --> 00:10:06,783
THERE'S NO LONGER
181
00:10:06,807 --> 00:10:09,052
ANY INDUSTRIAL MINING
OF THESE RESOURCES,
182
00:10:09,076 --> 00:10:12,055
BUT PEOPLE FROM THE LOCAL
AFAR TRIBE WILL OFTEN COME IN,
183
00:10:12,079 --> 00:10:15,058
OFTEN AT NIGHT,
WITH CAMEL CARAVANS
184
00:10:15,082 --> 00:10:17,660
AND CARVE OUT
LARGE SLABS OF SALT,
185
00:10:17,684 --> 00:10:21,798
LOAD THEM ON THEIR CAMELS,
AND TAKE THEM OUT TO MARKET.
186
00:10:21,822 --> 00:10:23,299
WHEN YOU LOOK AT RUINS
LIKE THIS VILLAGE,
187
00:10:23,323 --> 00:10:24,934
IT REALLY DOES BRING HOME
188
00:10:24,958 --> 00:10:29,138
HOW DETERMINED HUMANS ARE
TO EXPLOIT TO THE ENVIRONMENT,
189
00:10:29,162 --> 00:10:34,744
HOW DETERMINED WE ARE
TO MAKE MONEY TO CREATE WEALTH,
190
00:10:34,768 --> 00:10:36,846
WHEREVER THAT SHOULD BE.
191
00:10:43,143 --> 00:10:46,255
FROM ONE
ARID WASTELAND TO ANOTHER,
192
00:10:46,279 --> 00:10:51,294
THIS BARREN DESERT IN UZBEKISTAN
IS NOT QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS.
193
00:10:55,155 --> 00:10:57,800
AT OVER 40 MILES FROM
THE NEAREST SHORELINE,
194
00:10:57,824 --> 00:11:01,804
THIS STRANDED GHOST FLEET
FEELS A LONG WAY FROM HOME.
195
00:11:01,828 --> 00:11:05,575
IT'S A VERY ODD THING,
SEEING A BOAT IN THE DESERT.
196
00:11:05,599 --> 00:11:08,244
A BOAT IS
AN INDICATIVE SIGN OF WATER,
197
00:11:08,268 --> 00:11:10,847
BUT THEN YOU LOOK AROUND
AND THERE'S NONE AVAILABLE.
198
00:11:10,871 --> 00:11:12,849
BUT A CLUE ON THE TOWN'S SIGN
199
00:11:12,873 --> 00:11:16,853
SUGGESTS THOSE VESSELS
DO IN FACT BELONG HERE,
200
00:11:16,877 --> 00:11:20,657
SO WHAT EXTRAORDINARY EVENT
CREATED THIS BIZARRE SCENE?
201
00:11:24,050 --> 00:11:29,832
IN THE 1960s, THE TOWN OF MOYNAQ
SAT ON THE EDGE OF THE ARAL SEA,
202
00:11:29,856 --> 00:11:34,037
THE WORLD'S FOURTH LARGEST BODY
OF INLAND WATER.
203
00:11:34,061 --> 00:11:37,173
ALMAS TOVASHIV WAS
ONE OF THE MANY EMPLOYED
204
00:11:37,197 --> 00:11:39,542
IN THE BOOMING
LOCAL FISHING INDUSTRY.
205
00:11:43,704 --> 00:11:45,048
MORE THAN 200 VESSELS
206
00:11:45,072 --> 00:11:47,650
WERE ENGAGED
IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY,
207
00:11:47,674 --> 00:11:49,986
AND OVER 100 VESSELS
WERE TRANSPORTING FISH
208
00:11:50,010 --> 00:11:51,854
TO THE FISH-CANNING FACTORY,
209
00:11:51,878 --> 00:11:55,358
WHERE 1,200 PEOPLE WORKED
AND ANNUALLY PRODUCED
210
00:11:55,382 --> 00:11:57,694
UP TO 12 MILLION CANS OF FISH.
211
00:12:00,454 --> 00:12:04,734
BUT BY 1990, ALL THE
FISHING HERE HAD STOPPED.
212
00:12:04,758 --> 00:12:07,937
SOMEHOW, THE SEA
HAD BECOME A DESERT.
213
00:12:09,496 --> 00:12:12,642
PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD
THAT THERE WAS LESS WATER.
214
00:12:12,666 --> 00:12:15,311
THERE WAS NOT EVEN WATER
FOR WATERING THE GARDENS
215
00:12:15,335 --> 00:12:19,048
OR FOR USE ON THE FARMS.
216
00:12:19,072 --> 00:12:23,753
INCREDIBLY, THE CAUSE
OF THIS DISASTER WAS MAN-MADE.
217
00:12:23,777 --> 00:12:26,422
THE ARAL SEA WAS FED
BY TWO RIVERS,
218
00:12:26,446 --> 00:12:29,058
BUT UNDER SOVIET RULE,
A FLAWED DECISION
219
00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:32,528
TO PRIORITIZE
COTTON PRODUCTION IN UZBEKISTAN
220
00:12:32,552 --> 00:12:35,398
AND DIVERT
THAT WATER AWAY FROM HERE
221
00:12:35,422 --> 00:12:38,735
HAD DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES.
222
00:12:38,759 --> 00:12:41,738
IT WAS ECOLOGICAL SUICIDE
223
00:12:41,762 --> 00:12:44,440
BECAUSE ONCE THEY TOOK ALL OF
THE WATER OUT OF THOSE RIVERS,
224
00:12:44,464 --> 00:12:47,610
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH WATER
TO FEED THE ARAL SEA.
225
00:12:47,634 --> 00:12:50,880
IN THIS HOT ENVIRONMENT,
IT'S SUNNY MOST OF THE TIME.
226
00:12:50,904 --> 00:12:52,415
THERE'S A LOT OF EVAPORATION.
227
00:12:52,439 --> 00:12:54,817
WITHOUT WATER CONTINUING
TO FLOW INTO IT,
228
00:12:54,841 --> 00:12:58,988
THE ARAL SEA BEGAN TO EVAPORATE.
229
00:12:59,012 --> 00:13:00,823
IN JUST 30 YEARS,
230
00:13:00,847 --> 00:13:03,626
THE SEA LEVEL DROPPED
BY 55 FEET,
231
00:13:03,650 --> 00:13:08,331
AND IN PLACES, THE SHORELINE
RECEDED BY ALMOST 100 MILES.
232
00:13:13,193 --> 00:13:17,240
TODAY, A THIRD OF THE SEABED
IS NOW EXPOSED,
233
00:13:17,264 --> 00:13:19,175
DISPLAYING A LAYER OF DUST,
234
00:13:19,199 --> 00:13:23,146
SALT, AND THE TOXIC RESIDUE
OF PESTICIDES
235
00:13:23,170 --> 00:13:26,649
JUST WAITING TO BE SWEPT UP
BY THE NEXT STRONG BREEZE.
236
00:13:28,642 --> 00:13:29,819
STILL TO COME...
237
00:13:29,843 --> 00:13:32,555
A TROPICAL PARADISE
BUILT IN A DANGER ZONE
238
00:13:32,579 --> 00:13:35,825
BUT FINISHED OFF
BY SOMETHING UNEXPECTED
239
00:13:35,849 --> 00:13:38,761
AND AN ISLAND
STRUCK BY IMMENSE FORCE,
240
00:13:38,785 --> 00:13:42,165
YET THE CULPRIT WAS NOT
WHO THE ISLANDERS FEARED.
241
00:13:54,034 --> 00:13:55,411
COMING UP ON
242
00:13:55,435 --> 00:13:57,747
"THE WORLD'S STRANGEST
DISASTER ZONES,"
243
00:13:57,771 --> 00:14:00,950
A TOWERING DAM SPOOKILY EMPTY,
244
00:14:00,974 --> 00:14:04,787
A LAND OF SPEWING MUD
THAT SWALLOWED A TOWN,
245
00:14:04,811 --> 00:14:06,856
AND A REMOTE ARCTIC COMMUNITY
246
00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,392
BEARING THE BRUNT
OF A GLOBAL THREAT.
247
00:14:11,918 --> 00:14:14,030
IN THE CARIBBEAN IS A RETREAT
248
00:14:14,054 --> 00:14:16,833
THAT WAS BUILT
RIGHT IN THE FIRING LINE,
249
00:14:16,857 --> 00:14:19,001
YET THE DESTRUCTION
VISIBLE TODAY
250
00:14:19,025 --> 00:14:22,205
DOESN'T FIT WITH WHAT
YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE.
251
00:14:28,702 --> 00:14:31,380
THE HILLS LEVEL OUT INTO COVES,
252
00:14:31,404 --> 00:14:34,217
AND THE BEACHES
GIVE WAY TO FORESTS.
253
00:14:34,241 --> 00:14:39,388
THERE'S A QUIET,
RUGGED BEAUTY TO THIS PLACE.
254
00:14:39,412 --> 00:14:41,791
LARGE HOUSES NESTLE
IN THE HILLSIDE,
255
00:14:41,815 --> 00:14:45,194
AND THE VIEWS MUST BE AMAZING
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
256
00:14:45,218 --> 00:14:51,367
IT FEELS LIKE AN EXCLUSIVE
PRIVATE-ISLAND RESORT.
257
00:14:51,391 --> 00:14:54,570
BUT ABANDONED
STRUCTURES LITTER THIS PLACE,
258
00:14:54,594 --> 00:14:58,374
AND CLUES POINT
TO A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION.
259
00:14:58,398 --> 00:14:59,475
WHEN YOU LOOK ALL AROUND,
260
00:14:59,499 --> 00:15:01,744
THERE'S A GRAY MATERIAL
ON THE GROUND
261
00:15:01,768 --> 00:15:04,113
THAT SEEMS TO HAVE SILTED UP
ALL OF THE BUILDINGS
262
00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:08,184
AND COVERED THE WHOLE AREA
IN A GRAY, SANDY MATERIAL.
263
00:15:08,208 --> 00:15:09,719
THE INDISCRIMINATE NATURE
264
00:15:09,743 --> 00:15:12,255
OF THE DAMAGE WROUGHT
ON THIS SITE
265
00:15:12,279 --> 00:15:14,457
ONLY ADDS TO THE MYSTERY.
266
00:15:14,481 --> 00:15:17,059
THERE'S A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUILDINGS,
267
00:15:17,083 --> 00:15:21,063
AND IN THEM, YOU CAN SEE
THINGS LIKE GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
268
00:15:21,087 --> 00:15:23,799
ARE LYING AROUND.
269
00:15:23,823 --> 00:15:28,004
ONE IS ROUND WITH
MANY ROOMS AND BEDS INSIDE.
270
00:15:28,028 --> 00:15:30,106
ANOTHER IS FULL OF
OFFICE EQUIPMENT.
271
00:15:30,130 --> 00:15:34,410
ANOTHER, YOU REALIZE,
IS PART OF A SHOPPING CENTER.
272
00:15:34,434 --> 00:15:40,116
THERE'S BITS OF INFRASTRUCTURE
LYING ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE.
273
00:15:40,140 --> 00:15:41,784
AMONGST ALL THE DECAY,
274
00:15:41,808 --> 00:15:46,589
YOU CAN SEE THESE BUILDINGS
ONCE HAD OPULENCE.
275
00:15:46,613 --> 00:15:50,192
WHOEVER LIVED HERE
USED TO LIVE THE HIGH LIFE.
276
00:15:52,218 --> 00:15:56,465
IT FEELS AS THOUGH
EVERYONE LEFT IN A RUSH.
277
00:15:56,489 --> 00:15:58,601
THERE'S CROCKERY ON THE TABLES.
278
00:15:58,625 --> 00:16:00,569
VIDEO TAPES WERE LEFT
ON THE FLOOR.
279
00:16:00,593 --> 00:16:04,874
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
ARE LEFT ON DESKS.
280
00:16:04,898 --> 00:16:08,577
WHAT CAUSED EVERYONE TO LEAVE
IN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE HURRY?
281
00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,187
JUST 10 MILES LONG
AND LESS THAN 7 MILES WIDE,
282
00:16:18,211 --> 00:16:22,391
THIS IS THE TINY ISLAND
OF MONTSERRAT.
283
00:16:22,415 --> 00:16:24,360
LOCAL GUIDE NORMAN CASSELL
284
00:16:24,384 --> 00:16:27,730
IS ONE OF THE FEW
REMAINING RESIDENTS.
285
00:16:27,754 --> 00:16:30,499
HE REMEMBERS
THE ISLAND'S CAPITAL, PLYMOUTH,
286
00:16:30,523 --> 00:16:32,234
BEFORE DISASTER STRUCK.
287
00:16:34,494 --> 00:16:36,639
PLYMOUTH WAS REALLY
A SPECIAL PLACE.
288
00:16:36,663 --> 00:16:40,343
IT COULD'VE MADE A HUSTLING
AND BUSTLING TOWN,
289
00:16:40,367 --> 00:16:47,049
BUT IT WAS ALWAYS STILL A BIT
OF A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE HERE.
290
00:16:47,073 --> 00:16:49,018
PLYMOUTH NOW LIES WITHIN
291
00:16:49,042 --> 00:16:53,022
A PERILOUS EXCLUSION ZONE.
292
00:16:53,046 --> 00:16:56,158
GETTING INTO THIS AREA
IS NOT EASY,
293
00:16:56,182 --> 00:16:57,994
AND IT GIVES YOU SOME SENSE
294
00:16:58,018 --> 00:17:01,530
OF JUST HOW SERIOUS
THIS DISASTER WAS
295
00:17:01,554 --> 00:17:03,299
AND HOW IT HASN'T ENDED.
296
00:17:03,323 --> 00:17:05,234
IT'S STILL ONGOING.
297
00:17:07,727 --> 00:17:10,072
WRECKAGE OF
THE CAPITAL'S INFRASTRUCTURE
298
00:17:10,096 --> 00:17:12,074
CLUTTERS THIS PLACE.
299
00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,611
A LOT OF THE BUSINESSPEOPLE
300
00:17:15,635 --> 00:17:17,213
STAYED AT
THE FOUR FOUNTAIN HOTEL
301
00:17:17,237 --> 00:17:19,815
BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION
IN PLYMOUTH,
302
00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:22,585
AND SO IT WAS VERY POPULAR
WITH THE BUSINESS FOLK.
303
00:17:25,445 --> 00:17:27,923
HOLIDAY MAKERS ONCE GENERATED
304
00:17:27,947 --> 00:17:30,926
25% OF
THIS SMALL NATION'S ECONOMY.
305
00:17:34,988 --> 00:17:38,701
THIS WAS JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE.
306
00:17:38,725 --> 00:17:40,870
THE RICH AND FAMOUS
GATHERED HERE,
307
00:17:40,894 --> 00:17:44,340
PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT
PART OF THE WORLD,
308
00:17:44,364 --> 00:17:47,298
FOR CONFERENCES,
PARTIES, WEDDINGS.
309
00:17:49,636 --> 00:17:52,303
AND NOW THEY'RE ALL GONE.
310
00:17:54,474 --> 00:17:56,952
THE GRAY ASH
THAT CLOAKS THIS SITE
311
00:17:56,976 --> 00:18:01,557
IS A TELLTALE SIGN
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
312
00:18:01,581 --> 00:18:05,227
THIS IS
THE SOUFRlèRE HILLS VOLCANO.
313
00:18:05,251 --> 00:18:06,962
IT LOOMS OVER PLYMOUTH
314
00:18:06,986 --> 00:18:09,632
AND THE WHOLE OF
SOUTHERN MONTSERRAT.
315
00:18:09,656 --> 00:18:14,570
IT HAD BEEN DORMANT
FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS.
316
00:18:14,594 --> 00:18:17,506
THE ISLANDERS HAD ALMOST
FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.
317
00:18:17,530 --> 00:18:20,676
IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO THEM
THAT IT WOULD STIR AT ALL,
318
00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:24,613
LET ALONE EMIT STEAM AND ASH.
319
00:18:24,637 --> 00:18:31,687
IN 1995, THE SOUFRlèRE
HILLS VOLCANO BURST INTO LIFE.
320
00:18:31,711 --> 00:18:33,956
WELL, IT STARTED OUT WITH US
321
00:18:33,980 --> 00:18:38,160
HEARING THIS SOUND
LIKE JET ENGINES.
322
00:18:38,184 --> 00:18:41,497
BUT NEVER KNEW THAT IT WAS
THE INITIAL CRACKING
323
00:18:41,521 --> 00:18:45,835
OF THE ROCKS AND STEAM VENTING
WHICH CREATED THAT SOUND
324
00:18:45,859 --> 00:18:53,109
UNTIL THERE WERE A FEW BITS
OF BLACK ASH DUSTING AREAS,
325
00:18:53,133 --> 00:18:55,744
AND IT IS AFTER THAT
THAT IT WAS FOUND OUT
326
00:18:55,768 --> 00:19:00,483
THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY
THE START OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.
327
00:19:00,507 --> 00:19:02,718
IN VOLCANIC TERMS,
328
00:19:02,742 --> 00:19:05,387
THE '95 ERUPTION
WAS RELATIVELY TAME
329
00:19:05,411 --> 00:19:07,723
BECAUSE EARTH'S FIERY,
MOLTEN MAGMA
330
00:19:07,747 --> 00:19:10,426
HAD NOT YET REACHED THE SURFACE.
331
00:19:10,450 --> 00:19:12,895
THESE ARE ERUPTIONS WHICH OCCUR
332
00:19:12,919 --> 00:19:16,732
WHEN MAGMA MEETS GROUNDWATER
AND FLASHES THAT TO STEAM,
333
00:19:16,756 --> 00:19:19,368
AND IT CAN BREAK OPEN
AND BREAK OPEN THE ROCKS
334
00:19:19,392 --> 00:19:22,705
AND MAKE SORT OF BIG
THUNDERCLAP NOISES.
335
00:19:22,729 --> 00:19:25,774
IT ALSO SPEWED OUT SO MUCH ASH
336
00:19:25,798 --> 00:19:28,711
THAT PLYMOUTH
WAS PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS.
337
00:19:28,735 --> 00:19:30,613
MY GOODNESS, AT TIMES,
338
00:19:30,637 --> 00:19:32,748
IT WAS LIKE
TURNING DAY INTO NIGHT.
339
00:19:32,772 --> 00:19:35,050
YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND
IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE,
340
00:19:35,074 --> 00:19:36,519
AND YOU COULDN'T SEE YOUR HAND.
341
00:19:36,543 --> 00:19:39,188
IT WAS THAT DARK.
342
00:19:39,212 --> 00:19:43,425
AS THE FIRST LAYER OF
ASH COATED THIS ILL-FATED SITE,
343
00:19:43,449 --> 00:19:45,961
SCIENTISTS FLEW IN
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
344
00:19:45,985 --> 00:19:49,398
TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THE VOLCANO WOULD DO NEXT.
345
00:19:49,422 --> 00:19:54,170
SEISMOLOGIST RODERICK STEWART
WAS ONE OF THEM.
346
00:19:54,194 --> 00:19:55,538
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE,
347
00:19:55,562 --> 00:19:57,406
I WAS BASICALLY
FULL OF QUESTIONS,
348
00:19:57,430 --> 00:20:00,042
TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THINGS,
349
00:20:00,066 --> 00:20:03,078
AND THIS IS A TYPE OF VOLCANO
THAT CAN CHANGE VERY QUICKLY
350
00:20:03,102 --> 00:20:08,517
FROM LOOKING VERY CALM
TO BEING VERY DANGEROUS.
351
00:20:08,541 --> 00:20:10,386
A MONTH AFTER
THAT FIRST ERUPTION,
352
00:20:10,410 --> 00:20:12,488
THE ACTIVITY INCREASED,
353
00:20:12,512 --> 00:20:15,724
AND SCIENTISTS FELT THAT
THEY COULD NO LONGER GUARANTEE
354
00:20:15,748 --> 00:20:19,061
THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE
IN THAT PART OF THE ISLAND.
355
00:20:19,085 --> 00:20:22,231
PLYMOUTH LAY
IN DIRECT LINE OF FIRE,
356
00:20:22,255 --> 00:20:26,001
SO RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED
TO THE NORTH OF MONTSERRAT,
357
00:20:26,025 --> 00:20:30,339
OUT OF THE VOLCANO'S
DEADLY RANGE.
358
00:20:30,363 --> 00:20:35,044
BUT MANY COULD NOT BE PERSUADED
TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES BEHIND.
359
00:20:35,068 --> 00:20:37,213
EVERY DAY,
THE RESIDENTS HAD TO MAKE
360
00:20:37,237 --> 00:20:39,081
A DIFFICULT DECISION...
361
00:20:39,105 --> 00:20:43,052
STAY AND WATCH
YOUR BUSINESS COLLAPSE,
362
00:20:43,076 --> 00:20:47,256
OR LEAVE AND SAVE YOUR LIFE.
363
00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,359
THE ISLANDERS MANAGED
TO LIVE WITH THE VOLCANO
364
00:20:50,383 --> 00:20:52,394
AND DESPITE THE EXCLUSION ZONE
365
00:20:52,418 --> 00:20:56,498
RETURNED TO AS MUCH
OF A NORMAL LIFE AS POSSIBLE.
366
00:20:56,522 --> 00:21:02,137
EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THE RISKS
AND CHOSE TO LIVE WITH THEM.
367
00:21:02,161 --> 00:21:05,474
WHILE PLYMOUTH HAD
BEEN COVERED IN A LAYER OF ASH,
368
00:21:05,498 --> 00:21:08,610
THE VOLCANO HADN'T YET
RELEASED ANY LAVA,
369
00:21:08,634 --> 00:21:11,947
BUT SCIENTISTS FEARED
THE WORST WAS YET TO COME.
370
00:21:14,507 --> 00:21:17,286
THE LAVA THAT COMES OUT
OF THIS VOLCANO IS SO VISCOUS
371
00:21:17,310 --> 00:21:20,956
THAT IT CANNOT FORM A LAVA FLOW,
SO IT JUST COMES OUT,
372
00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:23,192
AND IT STAYS AT THE TOP
OF THE VOLCANO.
373
00:21:23,216 --> 00:21:25,794
AND IT BUILDS
WHAT WE CALL A LAVA DOME.
374
00:21:25,818 --> 00:21:29,265
THE LAVA DOME BLOCKED
THE MOUTH OF THE VOLCANO,
375
00:21:29,289 --> 00:21:34,236
EFFECTIVELY A PLUG SITTING
ON TOP OF AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE.
376
00:21:34,260 --> 00:21:37,773
THE QUESTION WAS, HOW LONG
COULD IT STAY IN PLACE?
377
00:21:40,633 --> 00:21:44,113
WHAT COVERS THIS SITE NOW
IS NOT LAVA ROCK
378
00:21:44,137 --> 00:21:47,916
BUT A SOLID RIVER OF MUD,
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
379
00:21:58,318 --> 00:22:02,031
ON THE ISLAND
OF MONTSERRAT IS A DISASTER ZONE
380
00:22:02,055 --> 00:22:04,300
STRETCHING FOR MILES.
381
00:22:04,324 --> 00:22:07,403
IN THE MID-1990s,
THE VOLCANO THAT OVERLOOKS
382
00:22:07,427 --> 00:22:11,140
THE CAPITAL OF PLYMOUTH
ERUPTED WITHOUT WARNING.
383
00:22:11,164 --> 00:22:12,808
LYING IN THE LINE OF FIRE,
384
00:22:12,832 --> 00:22:15,344
MOST RESIDENTS
HAD ALREADY BEEN EVACUATED,
385
00:22:15,368 --> 00:22:19,048
BUT SOME TO CHOSE A PLAY
A DEADLY GAME OF CHANCE.
386
00:22:19,072 --> 00:22:21,650
SOME PEOPLE STARTED
TO DEFY ORDERS
387
00:22:21,674 --> 00:22:26,388
AND GO BACK TO
THE STRICT EXCLUSION ZONE.
388
00:22:26,412 --> 00:22:28,957
WITH A DOME OF SOLIDIFIED LAVA
389
00:22:28,981 --> 00:22:30,826
BLOCKING THE VOLCANO'S CONE,
390
00:22:30,850 --> 00:22:33,395
PRESSURIZED MAGMA
HAD BEEN BUILDING UP
391
00:22:33,419 --> 00:22:35,164
DEEP WITHIN ITS CORE.
392
00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:44,340
JUNE 1997, THE VOLCANO
FINALLY UNLEASHES ITS FULL FURY.
393
00:22:44,364 --> 00:22:47,009
IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE
IT COULDN'T SUSTAIN ITSELF.
394
00:22:47,033 --> 00:22:49,611
IT COLLAPSED WITH
A MAJOR ERUPTION.
395
00:22:51,838 --> 00:22:56,151
JUNE 25th OF 1997,
WHEN FOLKS LOST THEIR LIVES,
396
00:22:56,175 --> 00:23:00,889
THOSE WERE SOME OF
THE LONGEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.
397
00:23:00,913 --> 00:23:06,395
NORMAN WAS ACTING
AIRPORT MANAGER AT THE TIME.
398
00:23:06,419 --> 00:23:08,097
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A CONTINUOUS
399
00:23:08,121 --> 00:23:11,934
SET OF PYROCLASTIC FLOWS,
PULSE AFTER PULSE,
400
00:23:11,958 --> 00:23:14,103
AND THEN THERE WERE
SOME LARGER AND LARGER ONES,
401
00:23:14,127 --> 00:23:17,973
AND SCIENTISTS SOUNDED THE SIREN
FOR EVACUATING THE AIRPORT.
402
00:23:19,966 --> 00:23:25,714
YOU'VE GOT AN AVALANCHE OF
PULVERIZED LAVA AND ASH AND GAS.
403
00:23:25,738 --> 00:23:27,783
THEY TRAVEL VERY, VERY FAST,
404
00:23:27,807 --> 00:23:30,285
AND THEY BASICALLY JUST
SMASH EVERYTHING IN THEIR WAY.
405
00:23:30,309 --> 00:23:34,256
SO THEY ARE VERY,
VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.
406
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,259
YOU SAW THE CLEAR
LINE OF DEMARCATION
407
00:23:37,283 --> 00:23:42,765
WHERE THAT PYROCLASTIC FLOW CAME
DOWN AND STRUCK THESE BUILDINGS,
408
00:23:42,789 --> 00:23:45,467
BUT THEN THE HOSPITAL
AND THOSE OTHER BUILDINGS
409
00:23:45,491 --> 00:23:48,036
HIGHER UP ON THE SLOPE
WERE UNTOUCHED,
410
00:23:48,060 --> 00:23:50,939
SO IT'S JUST AMAZING
HOW DIFFERENT PARTS OF PLYMOUTH
411
00:23:50,963 --> 00:23:53,308
WAS JUST DEVASTATED IN A WAY,
412
00:23:53,332 --> 00:23:56,178
AND THEN OTHERS
WERE JUST LEFT STANDING.
413
00:23:58,938 --> 00:24:01,483
MILLIONS OF TONS OF ASH
414
00:24:01,507 --> 00:24:04,386
WERE DEPOSITED ACROSS
THIS VAST SITE,
415
00:24:04,410 --> 00:24:07,423
FILLING ALL THE VALLEYS
AND RIVERBEDS.
416
00:24:07,447 --> 00:24:09,658
FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO HAD
RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES
417
00:24:09,682 --> 00:24:14,863
IN THESE AREAS,
THE RESULTS WERE DEADLY.
418
00:24:14,887 --> 00:24:17,065
AS IT GOT LATER TOWARDS EVENING,
419
00:24:17,089 --> 00:24:18,233
AN ELDERLY LADY,
420
00:24:18,257 --> 00:24:21,804
SHE WALKED ALL THROUGH
THOSE HILLS AND CAME,
421
00:24:21,828 --> 00:24:24,840
AND SHE MET US DOWN BELOW, HERE.
422
00:24:24,864 --> 00:24:29,845
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO MADE IT."
423
00:24:29,869 --> 00:24:35,617
THERE WAS SOME OF THE STAFF
WHO HAD GONE UP THERE,
424
00:24:35,641 --> 00:24:38,709
AND NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN.
425
00:24:41,314 --> 00:24:43,792
SORRY.
426
00:24:43,816 --> 00:24:46,161
OVER THE NEXT 4 MONTHS,
427
00:24:46,185 --> 00:24:49,465
THE VOLCANO EXPLODED 75 TIMES,
428
00:24:49,489 --> 00:24:54,470
BURYING PLYMOUTH IN LAYER
UPON LAYER OF SUPERHEATED ASH.
429
00:24:54,494 --> 00:24:56,438
AT ONE POINT,
THERE WAS A PYROCLASTIC FLOW
430
00:24:56,462 --> 00:24:59,942
WHICH CAME AND HIT THE
PARLIAMENT BUILDING AT THE BACK
431
00:24:59,966 --> 00:25:03,378
AND STARTED A FIRE, WHICH LIT
MOST OF THESE BUILDINGS.
432
00:25:03,402 --> 00:25:07,416
IF YOU LOOK BELOW HERE, YOU CAN
SEE SOME OF THE CHARRED REMAINS.
433
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,352
AT THAT STAGE,
WHEN THEY SAW PLYMOUTH BURNING,
434
00:25:10,376 --> 00:25:13,021
THAT WAS WHEN FOLKS KNEW,
"THAT IS IT.
435
00:25:13,045 --> 00:25:15,757
WE ARE NOT GOING BACK
TO THE PLYMOUTH THAT WE KNEW."
436
00:25:17,850 --> 00:25:21,129
WHEN THE PYROCLASTIC
FLOWS HAD STOPPED,
437
00:25:21,153 --> 00:25:23,565
MONTSERRAT'S WET,
TROPICAL CLIMATE
438
00:25:23,589 --> 00:25:25,400
DELIVERED ANOTHER BLOW.
439
00:25:25,424 --> 00:25:29,271
INVESTIGATING THIS STRANGE SITE
REVEALS MANY STRUCTURES
440
00:25:29,295 --> 00:25:35,344
AREN'T BURIED IN ASH
BUT MUD SET HARD AS CONCRETE.
441
00:25:35,368 --> 00:25:38,580
WHEN IT RAINS,
IT FORMS MUD FLOWS,
442
00:25:38,604 --> 00:25:42,084
WHICH PICK UP ALL THIS MATERIAL,
AND THEY'VE GOT IMMENSE POWER.
443
00:25:42,108 --> 00:25:43,552
AND THEY CAN
BRING BOULDERS DOWN.
444
00:25:43,576 --> 00:25:45,521
THEY CAN BRING TREES DOWN,
445
00:25:45,545 --> 00:25:49,358
SO PLYMOUTH NOW
IS ALMOST TOTALLY BURIED.
446
00:25:49,382 --> 00:25:52,361
OVER THE YEARS,
THE LOW SECTIONS WERE FILLED,
447
00:25:52,385 --> 00:25:53,595
AND THEN IT GOES
HIGHER AND HIGHER,
448
00:25:53,619 --> 00:25:56,231
AND EVENTUALLY,
IT COVERS COMPLETELY
449
00:25:56,255 --> 00:25:58,867
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS.
450
00:25:58,891 --> 00:26:02,271
THE CITY WAS NOW
PERMANENTLY EVACUATED
451
00:26:02,295 --> 00:26:04,339
AND LEFT AS A GHOST TOWN.
452
00:26:09,802 --> 00:26:14,316
THE SOUFRlèRE HILLS
VOLCANO SLUMBERS FOR NOW,
453
00:26:14,340 --> 00:26:17,152
AND AWAY FROM THIS
DEVASTATED DISASTER ZONE,
454
00:26:17,176 --> 00:26:20,455
THE NORTH OF MONTSERRAT
IS BEGINNING TO THRIVE
455
00:26:20,479 --> 00:26:23,625
OUT OF THE VOLCANO'S
DEADLY REACH.
456
00:26:23,649 --> 00:26:25,627
THE POPULATION IS GROWING.
457
00:26:25,651 --> 00:26:28,697
IT'S ABOUT 5,000 NOW.
TOURISM HAS PICKED UP.
458
00:26:28,721 --> 00:26:29,965
THESE ARE TOUGH FOLKS,
459
00:26:29,989 --> 00:26:32,601
AND THEY'RE DETERMINED
TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE,
460
00:26:32,625 --> 00:26:35,070
EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE
A MONSTER FOR A NEIGHBOR.
461
00:26:41,834 --> 00:26:45,647
DISASTER ZONES
LEAVE WRECKAGE AND RUIN,
462
00:26:45,671 --> 00:26:48,150
BUT ONE OFF THE COST
OF MAINLAND CHINA
463
00:26:48,174 --> 00:26:49,985
PROVIDES A UNIQUE SET OF CLUES
464
00:26:50,009 --> 00:26:53,789
TO UNDERSTANDING
MOTHER NATURE'S SECRETS.
465
00:26:53,813 --> 00:26:57,225
IN CENTRAL TAIWAN,
IN THE TOWN OF JIJI,
466
00:26:57,249 --> 00:27:01,897
SITS A STRUCTURE COVERED
WITH INTRICATE SCULPTURES.
467
00:27:01,921 --> 00:27:05,334
YOU COME ACROSS THESE
HIGHLY DECORATIVE DOORS,
468
00:27:05,358 --> 00:27:09,438
THESE ORNATE STATUES,
AND THERE'S THESE DRAGONS.
469
00:27:11,731 --> 00:27:14,009
LOOKING OVER TO THIS TEMPLE,
470
00:27:14,033 --> 00:27:15,510
THIS WONDERFUL HOLY BUILDING,
471
00:27:15,534 --> 00:27:17,245
IT ALL LOOKS INCREDIBLE,
DOESN'T IT?
472
00:27:17,269 --> 00:27:20,515
BUT AS YOU LOOK FURTHER DOWN,
YOU REALIZE IT'S COLLAPSED.
473
00:27:20,539 --> 00:27:23,118
IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE.
474
00:27:23,142 --> 00:27:24,586
IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
475
00:27:24,610 --> 00:27:27,689
THERE'S RUBBLE
STREWN EVERYWHERE.
476
00:27:27,713 --> 00:27:30,659
THIS IS WUCHANG TEMPLE.
477
00:27:30,683 --> 00:27:34,963
ITS ALMOST-INTACT ROOF
SITS LAZILY ON THE RUBBLE BELOW.
478
00:27:38,424 --> 00:27:39,701
WHEN YOU LOOK INSIDE,
479
00:27:39,725 --> 00:27:42,938
YOU SEE SMASHED CONCRETE
AND LEANING PILLARS,
480
00:27:42,962 --> 00:27:46,174
ALMOST LIKE IT'S BEEN PULVERIZED
FROM THE INSIDE.
481
00:27:46,198 --> 00:27:50,612
YET, FOR SOME REASON,
THIS RUIN HAS BEEN PRESERVED.
482
00:27:50,636 --> 00:27:52,381
IT HAS BECOME A MEMORIAL.
483
00:27:52,405 --> 00:27:56,518
PILGRIMS VISIT, AND LEGENDS
SWIRL AROUND THE TEMPLE.
484
00:27:56,542 --> 00:27:59,321
WHAT FORCES WERE AT PLAY HERE?
485
00:27:59,345 --> 00:28:00,956
WERE THEY PURELY NATURAL,
486
00:28:00,980 --> 00:28:04,092
OR DID SOMETHING
MORE SINISTER TAKE ITS TOLL?
487
00:28:08,754 --> 00:28:13,168
WUCHANG TEMPLE IS NOT AS ANCIENT
AT IT APPEARS.
488
00:28:13,192 --> 00:28:18,273
BUILT IN 1923, THIS IS ISN'T
THE ONLY STRUCTURE ON THE ISLAND
489
00:28:18,297 --> 00:28:21,643
THAT DISPLAYS TERRIBLE DAMAGE.
490
00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:24,413
15 MILES AWAY IN TAICHUNG CITY,
491
00:28:24,437 --> 00:28:27,416
AN EVEN YOUNGER BUILDING
LIES IN RUINS.
492
00:28:29,442 --> 00:28:32,320
YOU SEE A THREE-STORY
BUILDING WITH FLOORS
493
00:28:32,344 --> 00:28:35,757
COLLAPSED IN ON WHAT LOOK LIKE
ROOMS OF VARYING SIZES.
494
00:28:35,781 --> 00:28:38,093
IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
QUITE A FUNCTIONAL BUILDING,
495
00:28:38,117 --> 00:28:39,828
BUT AS YOU REALLY PEER INTO IT,
496
00:28:39,852 --> 00:28:44,599
YOU BEGIN TO SEE WHAT LOOK LIKE
CHAIRS AND EVEN BLACKBOARDS.
497
00:28:44,623 --> 00:28:46,902
AN ENTRANCE GATE COLLAPSED.
498
00:28:46,926 --> 00:28:50,038
A RUNNING TRACK TWISTED
AND CRACKED,
499
00:28:50,062 --> 00:28:51,373
AND THEN IT STARTS
TO DAWN ON YOU.
500
00:28:51,397 --> 00:28:53,075
THIS PLACE WAS A SCHOOL.
501
00:28:53,099 --> 00:28:54,943
YOU CAN ONLY HOPE
THE CHILDREN WEREN'T INSIDE
502
00:28:54,967 --> 00:28:57,913
WHEN THIS DESTRUCTION
TOOK PLACE.
503
00:28:57,937 --> 00:29:01,750
THIS IS GUANGFU
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
504
00:29:03,843 --> 00:29:05,987
MANY IN TAIWAN REMEMBER THE DAY
505
00:29:06,011 --> 00:29:10,959
THAT BROUGHT SUCH DEVASTATION
TO THE SCHOOL AND TEMPLE.
506
00:29:10,983 --> 00:29:12,794
FOR LUO WEIZHEN,
507
00:29:12,818 --> 00:29:18,800
SEPTEMBER 21, 1999, WAS A DAY
THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE FOREVER.
508
00:29:22,094 --> 00:29:24,506
I GOT BACK HOME AROUND 11.
509
00:29:24,530 --> 00:29:27,609
I WENT FOR A SHOWER
AND PREPARED TO GO TO SLEEP.
510
00:29:29,502 --> 00:29:31,146
AROUND 1:00 A.M.,
511
00:29:31,170 --> 00:29:34,616
I SUDDENLY FELT
A SEVERE HEADACHE.
512
00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,319
THEN I FELT LIKE
I WAS EATING ROCKS.
513
00:29:37,343 --> 00:29:40,489
I WAS BURIED ALIVE.
514
00:29:40,513 --> 00:29:43,413
I THOUGHT,
"WAS THIS THE COMMUNISTS?"
515
00:29:45,518 --> 00:29:48,497
HISTORICALLY,
TAIWAN HAS HAD A COMPLEX
516
00:29:48,521 --> 00:29:51,032
AND TENSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH MAINLAND CHINA,
517
00:29:51,056 --> 00:29:54,202
SO AT FIRST, MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT
THAT CHINA'S COMMUNIST PARTY
518
00:29:54,226 --> 00:29:56,538
HAD LAUNCHED A MILITARY STRIKE
AGAINST THE ISLAND.
519
00:30:02,168 --> 00:30:05,213
WHAT FORCE
DECIMATED THESE BUILDINGS?
520
00:30:05,237 --> 00:30:09,017
WERE THE COMMUNISTS OF
MAINLAND CHINA REALLY TO BLAME?
521
00:30:20,719 --> 00:30:23,331
OFF THE COST OF SOUTHEAST CHINA,
522
00:30:23,355 --> 00:30:25,267
ON THE ISLAND OF TAIWAN,
523
00:30:25,291 --> 00:30:28,837
A CATASTROPHIC FORCE
SHATTERED THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS
524
00:30:28,861 --> 00:30:32,641
ONE SEPTEMBER NIGHT IN 1999.
525
00:30:32,665 --> 00:30:36,244
WHEN LUO WEIZHEN WOKE UP
BURIED IN HIS RUINED HOUSE,
526
00:30:36,268 --> 00:30:38,814
HE, LIKE HIS NEIGHBORS,
INITIALLY BELIEVED
527
00:30:38,838 --> 00:30:43,084
TAIWAN HAD BEEN THE VICTIM
OF A STRIKE BY COMMUNIST CHINA.
528
00:30:43,108 --> 00:30:46,154
HOWEVER, AS HE CLAWED HIS WAY
OUT OF THE RUBBLE,
529
00:30:46,178 --> 00:30:48,723
A DIFFERENT PICTURE
BEGAN TO EMERGE.
530
00:30:51,183 --> 00:30:54,162
I CLIMBED OUT OF THE RUINS
531
00:30:54,186 --> 00:30:58,166
AND SAW EVERYONE WAS CRYING.
532
00:30:58,190 --> 00:30:59,968
THEN,
BECAUSE THERE WERE AFTERSHOCKS,
533
00:30:59,992 --> 00:31:02,470
ALL OF THE HOUSES KEPT SHAKING.
534
00:31:05,430 --> 00:31:07,576
TAIWAN HAD BEEN STRUCK
535
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:09,945
NOT BY
A COMMUNIST MILITARY STRIKE
536
00:31:09,969 --> 00:31:13,481
BUT BY A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE.
537
00:31:13,505 --> 00:31:14,783
ROADS BUCKLED,
538
00:31:14,807 --> 00:31:17,886
BRIDGES COLLAPSED,
AND LANDSLIDES DIVERTED RIVERS,
539
00:31:17,910 --> 00:31:21,389
CAUSING THE FORMATION
OF COMPLETELY NEW LAKES.
540
00:31:21,413 --> 00:31:23,625
LIQUEFACTION OCCURRED.
541
00:31:23,649 --> 00:31:25,861
SOIL BECAME ALMOST FLUID,
542
00:31:25,885 --> 00:31:30,198
LEADING TO MUD FLOWS,
LANDSLIDES, AND AVALANCHES.
543
00:31:32,558 --> 00:31:34,703
IN AND AMONGST
THESE ROLLING HILLS
544
00:31:34,727 --> 00:31:37,839
THAT ALMOST LOOK LIKE THEY'VE
BEEN CRUMPLED UP LIKE A CARPET,
545
00:31:37,863 --> 00:31:39,341
YOU CAN SEE THESE BUILDINGS
546
00:31:39,365 --> 00:31:43,678
THAT SEEM LIKE THEY'VE BEEN
SUCKED DOWN INTO THE EARTH.
547
00:31:43,702 --> 00:31:48,016
AS MANY AS 300,000
PEOPLE WERE MADE HOMELESS.
548
00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,586
2,500 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
549
00:31:51,610 --> 00:31:55,557
THE SECOND DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKE
IN RECORDED TAIWANESE HISTORY,
550
00:31:55,581 --> 00:31:57,926
IT EXPOSED
NATIONWIDE SHORTCOMINGS
551
00:31:57,950 --> 00:32:02,097
IN THE BUILDING
AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
552
00:32:02,121 --> 00:32:03,632
TAIWAN'S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
553
00:32:03,656 --> 00:32:05,300
REALLY TOOK OFF IN THE 1990s.
554
00:32:05,324 --> 00:32:08,103
IT WAS A MASSIVE BOOM
IN BUILDING.
555
00:32:08,127 --> 00:32:10,739
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE
IS WHAT HAPPENS
556
00:32:10,763 --> 00:32:14,910
WHEN DESIGN CODES
AND FACTORS OF SAFETY...
557
00:32:14,934 --> 00:32:17,612
THEY'RE PARED DOWN
TO THE MINIMUM.
558
00:32:17,636 --> 00:32:20,215
LESSONS HAD TO BE LEARNED.
559
00:32:22,808 --> 00:32:26,488
ACTUALLY, THE 921
EARTHQUAKE IS A COLLECTIVE PAIN
560
00:32:26,512 --> 00:32:28,123
SHARED IN TAIWAN.
561
00:32:28,147 --> 00:32:31,626
EVEN IF WE TRY TO FORGET IT,
IT'S A LESSON...
562
00:32:31,650 --> 00:32:34,930
A LESSON IN HISTORY.
563
00:32:34,954 --> 00:32:37,432
WE HOPE OUR GOVERNMENT
WILL ENFORCE EDUCATION
564
00:32:37,456 --> 00:32:40,735
AND RAISE AWARENESS
ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS,
565
00:32:40,759 --> 00:32:44,906
HOW TO TAKE PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES AND ADAPT.
566
00:32:44,930 --> 00:32:47,275
INCREDIBLY, TAIWAN HAS BETWEEN
567
00:32:47,299 --> 00:32:51,246
20,000 AND 30,000 EARTHQUAKES
ANNUALLY.
568
00:32:51,270 --> 00:32:54,316
ONLY 20 TO 30 OF THESE
ARE STRONG ENOUGH
569
00:32:54,340 --> 00:32:58,286
FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY FEEL,
BUT IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS
570
00:32:58,310 --> 00:33:01,289
THE NEED TO PREPARE
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
571
00:33:01,313 --> 00:33:03,947
SO THEY DON'T SUFFER
IN THESE EVENTS.
572
00:33:06,318 --> 00:33:10,031
AND THE 921
EARTHQUAKE, AS IT BECAME KNOWN,
573
00:33:10,055 --> 00:33:14,035
OFFERED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO DO EXACTLY THAT.
574
00:33:14,059 --> 00:33:19,040
IN 1996, A VAST NETWORK
OF DETECTORS HAD BEEN INSTALLED
575
00:33:19,064 --> 00:33:23,244
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH
COLLECTED HUGE AMOUNTS OF DATA.
576
00:33:29,041 --> 00:33:31,319
IT WAS THE FIRST
EARTHQUAKE IN HISTORY
577
00:33:31,343 --> 00:33:34,456
TO BE RECORDED
IN SUCH PRECISE DETAIL.
578
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,591
THEREFORE, THE EARTHQUAKE
WAS CRUCIAL
579
00:33:36,615 --> 00:33:38,660
IN INFORMING THE COUNTRY
ABOUT EARTHQUAKES
580
00:33:38,684 --> 00:33:40,929
AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.
581
00:33:40,953 --> 00:33:43,587
IT BROUGHT ABOUT HUGE CHANGE.
582
00:33:46,325 --> 00:33:50,405
CHLOE HUANG WORKS AS A
GUIDE AT THIS BATTERED SCHOOL,
583
00:33:50,429 --> 00:33:53,942
NOW PRESERVED AS A MEMORIAL.
584
00:33:55,868 --> 00:33:59,948
THE CLASSROOM WAS
BUILT RIGHT ON THE FAULT LINE,
585
00:33:59,972 --> 00:34:02,739
AND THIS ROAD WAS BUILT
ALONG THE FAULT LINE.
586
00:34:05,744 --> 00:34:08,556
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE IMPACT
THESE BUILDINGS SUFFERED
587
00:34:08,580 --> 00:34:11,148
WAS ABSOLUTELY HUGE.
588
00:34:14,686 --> 00:34:17,198
BUT THE SCHOOL OFFERS
SOMETHING ELSE.
589
00:34:17,222 --> 00:34:19,434
SOMETHING TOTALLY UNIQUE.
590
00:34:22,494 --> 00:34:25,306
THIS IS ONE OF THE
FAULT LINES IN CHELUNG.
591
00:34:25,330 --> 00:34:28,109
IT STRIKES PAST THE PLAYGROUND
OF THE SCHOOL.
592
00:34:28,133 --> 00:34:31,413
YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE USED
TO BE A RUNNING TRACK,
593
00:34:31,437 --> 00:34:34,204
BUT THE TRACK HERE
HAS BEEN LIFTED UP.
594
00:34:36,608 --> 00:34:39,621
AS THE TWO PLATES
ALONG THIS BOUNDARY PULLED APART
595
00:34:39,645 --> 00:34:44,692
AND LIFTED UP,
THE SCHOOL WAS TORN IN HALF.
596
00:34:44,716 --> 00:34:47,228
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
AN EARTHQUAKE FAULT LINE
597
00:34:47,252 --> 00:34:51,199
COULD BE SEEN
AND ANALYZED IN SUCH DETAIL.
598
00:34:51,223 --> 00:34:53,401
FURTHERMORE, THE MATERIAL
OF THE TRACK
599
00:34:53,425 --> 00:34:57,627
PROTECTS THE EXPOSED FAULT LINE
FROM WEATHERING AND EROSION.
600
00:35:00,332 --> 00:35:03,912
THIS WAS A HUGE MOMENT
IN THE RESEARCH OF SEISMOLOGY
601
00:35:03,936 --> 00:35:06,147
AND THE DEVELOPMENT
OF EARTHQUAKE-PROOF ENGINEERING
602
00:35:06,171 --> 00:35:09,050
AND CONSTRUCTION.
603
00:35:09,074 --> 00:35:11,519
SO, OUT OF THIS MASSIVE DISASTER
604
00:35:11,543 --> 00:35:14,489
CAME A GREAT
CIVIL-ENGINEERING CHALLENGE...
605
00:35:14,513 --> 00:35:17,047
HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE SAFE
IN THE FUTURE?
606
00:35:19,251 --> 00:35:21,830
IT WAS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA.
607
00:35:21,854 --> 00:35:24,299
ALTHOUGH THE UNSTOPPABLE FORCES
OF NATURE
608
00:35:24,323 --> 00:35:26,601
HAD TAKEN A DEVASTATING TOLL,
609
00:35:26,625 --> 00:35:29,659
TAIWAN WOULD CHOOSE TO
TACKLE THEM HEAD-ON.
610
00:35:38,303 --> 00:35:42,951
IN 1999, TAIWAN WAS
STRUCK BY A DEADLY EARTHQUAKE.
611
00:35:42,975 --> 00:35:45,120
WRECKAGE AND DESTRUCTION
WERE ACCOMPANIED
612
00:35:45,144 --> 00:35:48,590
BY A NEW ERA IN RESEARCH
AND CIVIL ENGINEERING.
613
00:35:48,614 --> 00:35:51,259
THE PlèCE DE RéSISTANCE
WAS THIS.
614
00:35:51,283 --> 00:35:53,661
TAIPEI 101 OPENED IN 2004,
615
00:35:53,685 --> 00:35:57,665
AND IT WAS A REAL STATEMENT
TO THE WORLD.
616
00:35:57,689 --> 00:35:58,967
BUT TO AN EXTENT,
617
00:35:58,991 --> 00:36:01,970
IT WAS ALSO THUMBING ITS NOSE
AT MOTHER NATURE, SAYING,
618
00:36:01,994 --> 00:36:04,239
"WE CAN TAKE WHATEVER
YOU'VE GOT TO THROW AT US,"
619
00:36:04,263 --> 00:36:08,476
AND THEY EVEN BUILT SOME OF
THE STORIES IN THE PAGODA STYLE.
620
00:36:08,500 --> 00:36:10,879
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS
THE HIGHEST SKYSCRAPER
621
00:36:10,903 --> 00:36:13,014
IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME.
622
00:36:13,038 --> 00:36:17,952
IT STILL REPRESENTS A MARVEL
OF CUTTING-EDGE DESIGN.
623
00:36:17,976 --> 00:36:21,923
IT HAS ISOLATORS, DAMPERS,
AND A SHOCK ABSORBER
624
00:36:21,947 --> 00:36:25,215
THAT SITS BETWEEN
THE 88th AND 92nd FLOOR.
625
00:36:27,519 --> 00:36:31,533
SO, WHEN THE BUILDING SWAYS,
THESE DAMPERS ABSORB
626
00:36:31,557 --> 00:36:34,991
ALL OF THAT EARTHQUAKE ENERGY
AND REDUCE VIBRATION.
627
00:36:38,897 --> 00:36:41,209
IN JIJI, THE WUCHANG TEMPLE
628
00:36:41,233 --> 00:36:44,145
SITS SHATTERED YET PRESERVED.
629
00:36:44,169 --> 00:36:48,049
IN COMMON WITH TAIPEI 101,
ITS DESIGN WAS INSPIRED
630
00:36:48,073 --> 00:36:50,818
BY THE ANCIENT WOODEN
PAGODA-LIKE STRUCTURES
631
00:36:50,842 --> 00:36:52,720
FOUND ACROSS THE REGION.
632
00:36:52,744 --> 00:36:55,423
YET, AS WITH MANY OF TAIWAN'S
BUILDINGS,
633
00:36:55,447 --> 00:36:57,725
THEY HADN'T ACCOUNTED
FOR THE FULL POTENTIAL
634
00:36:57,749 --> 00:37:00,228
OF EARTH'S TECTONIC FORCES.
635
00:37:00,252 --> 00:37:02,797
WHEN THE 921 EARTHQUAKE STRUCK,
636
00:37:02,821 --> 00:37:05,300
ITS MODERN CONCRETE-AND-STEEL
CONSTRUCTION
637
00:37:05,324 --> 00:37:07,390
COLLAPSED INTO THE DUST.
638
00:37:11,997 --> 00:37:16,778
TODAY, MANY STILL BEAR THE SCARS
OF THAT INFAMOUS DAY.
639
00:37:21,907 --> 00:37:24,786
I HAVEN'T SLEPT
WELL FOR 20 YEARS.
640
00:37:24,810 --> 00:37:26,721
THE AFTERSHOCKS REMAIN.
641
00:37:26,745 --> 00:37:30,158
THEY REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS.
642
00:37:30,182 --> 00:37:35,263
AND LIKE ALL TAIWANESE PEOPLE,
HE'S READY FOR THE NEXT WARNING.
643
00:37:35,287 --> 00:37:37,832
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT
SENSORS PICK UP AN EARTHQUAKE,
644
00:37:37,856 --> 00:37:41,469
A MESSAGE IS INSTANTLY SENT TO
EVERYONE'S PHONE IN THE SYSTEM.
645
00:37:41,493 --> 00:37:43,538
IT TELLS THEM WHERE
THE EPICENTER IS,
646
00:37:43,562 --> 00:37:45,306
AND IT TELLS THEM
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE QUAKE
647
00:37:45,330 --> 00:37:47,141
SO THEY'VE GOT TIME TO PREPARE,
648
00:37:47,165 --> 00:37:50,478
SO IT'S A VERY SOPHISTICATED
GOVERNMENT WARNING SYSTEM,
649
00:37:50,502 --> 00:37:53,748
AND IT'S A CULTURE THAT IS
PREPARING ITSELF FOR THE WORST.
650
00:38:00,412 --> 00:38:02,957
IN THE MOUNTAINS
OF NORTHERN ITALY,
651
00:38:02,981 --> 00:38:07,095
JUST 60 MILES FROM VENICE,
IS A CONFOUNDING SITE.
652
00:38:11,723 --> 00:38:14,636
TOWERING ABOVE THE TOWN
OF LONGARONE,
653
00:38:14,660 --> 00:38:16,638
ONE OF THE WORLD'S TALLEST DAMS
654
00:38:16,662 --> 00:38:20,642
APPEARS TO BE HOLDING BACK
NOTHING BUT EMPTY SPACE.
655
00:38:20,666 --> 00:38:25,001
WHAT FREAK OCCURRENCE EXPLAINS
THIS PECULIAR SITUATION?
656
00:38:28,940 --> 00:38:31,386
IN THE AFTERMATH
OF WORLD WAR II,
657
00:38:31,410 --> 00:38:33,721
ITALY TURNED TO HYDROELECTRICITY
658
00:38:33,745 --> 00:38:36,958
TO RE-ENERGIZE
ITS SHATTERED INDUSTRIES.
659
00:38:36,982 --> 00:38:39,394
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
IS INCREDIBLY ATTRACTIVE
660
00:38:39,418 --> 00:38:40,628
IN A MOUNTAINOUS REGION
661
00:38:40,652 --> 00:38:42,597
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN HAVE
A TIGHT VALLEY,
662
00:38:42,621 --> 00:38:44,932
AND YOU CAN TRAP WATER HIGH UP,
663
00:38:44,956 --> 00:38:48,436
YOU'VE SUDDENLY GOT THE ABILITY
FOR THAT WATER TO MOVE DOWNHILL
664
00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:52,740
VERY QUICKLY
AND GENERATE FREE ELECTRICITY.
665
00:38:52,764 --> 00:38:58,579
ENGINEERS CONSTRUCTED
THE VAJONT DAM, AND IN 1960,
666
00:38:58,603 --> 00:39:02,772
THE 3-MILE-LONG RESERVOIR
BEHIND IT WAS FILLED WITH WATER.
667
00:39:06,111 --> 00:39:08,356
THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE VAJONT DAM,
668
00:39:08,380 --> 00:39:11,259
THERE WERE REPEATED WARNINGS
BOTH FROM LOCALS
669
00:39:11,283 --> 00:39:15,663
AND EXPERT GEOLOGISTS
THAT THE MOUNTAIN BEHIND THE DAM
670
00:39:15,687 --> 00:39:18,966
WAS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE.
671
00:39:18,990 --> 00:39:20,702
WHEN YOU'RE FILLING
THE DAM UP WITH WATER,
672
00:39:20,726 --> 00:39:21,736
IT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT.
673
00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:23,771
A LOT OF PRESSURE
IS BEING EXERTED
674
00:39:23,795 --> 00:39:26,240
ON THE SIDES OF THE VALLEY.
675
00:39:26,264 --> 00:39:29,544
ON OCTOBER 9, 1963,
676
00:39:29,568 --> 00:39:33,181
THE PROPHETS OF DOOM
WERE VINDICATED.
677
00:39:33,205 --> 00:39:36,217
OVER 9 BILLION CUBIC FEET
OF ROCK
678
00:39:36,241 --> 00:39:37,952
BROKE AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINSIDE
679
00:39:37,976 --> 00:39:42,156
AND HURTLED INTO
THE RESERVOIR BELOW.
680
00:39:42,180 --> 00:39:44,058
IT WASN'T JUST A MASS OF EARTH
681
00:39:44,082 --> 00:39:46,527
THAT SLID AWAY
INTO THE RESERVOIR.
682
00:39:46,551 --> 00:39:50,064
IT WAS THE FEROCIOUS SPEED
AT WHICH IT CAME...
683
00:39:50,088 --> 00:39:54,836
45 SECONDS FOR EFFECTIVELY
HALF OF THE MOUNTAINSIDE
684
00:39:54,860 --> 00:39:57,905
TO DROP INTO THE WATER.
685
00:39:57,929 --> 00:40:01,876
THE LANDSLIDE PUSHED A
TSUNAMI OF WATER OVER THE DAM
686
00:40:01,900 --> 00:40:04,768
AND DOWN THE GORGE
TOWARDS LONGARONE.
687
00:40:07,105 --> 00:40:11,185
FORCED DOWN SUCH A TIGHT GORGE,
IT DISPLACED ALL OF THAT AIR,
688
00:40:11,209 --> 00:40:13,488
AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
A SHOCK WAVE OF AIR
689
00:40:13,512 --> 00:40:15,590
HIT THE VILLAGE
DIRECTLY BEFORE THE WATER DID
690
00:40:15,614 --> 00:40:17,692
AND STARTED DESTROYING
SOME OF THE BUILDINGS.
691
00:40:17,716 --> 00:40:20,528
NEXT MINUTE,
A WALL OF WATER HITS YOU.
692
00:40:20,552 --> 00:40:22,697
IT'S GOT ROCKS IN IT.
IT'S GOT TREES IN IT.
693
00:40:22,721 --> 00:40:27,535
IT IS LIKE LIQUID SANDPAPER, AND
IT JUST WIPES THE VILLAGE CLEAN.
694
00:40:27,559 --> 00:40:29,937
THE TOWN WAS OBLITERATED
695
00:40:29,961 --> 00:40:32,662
AND NEARLY 2,000 PEOPLE KILLED.
696
00:40:35,567 --> 00:40:37,912
THE TRAGIC IRONY OF THIS STORY
697
00:40:37,936 --> 00:40:39,814
IS THAT WHILST THE VILLAGES
BELOW THE DAM
698
00:40:39,838 --> 00:40:43,918
WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED
BY THE ONRUSH OF WATER,
699
00:40:43,942 --> 00:40:47,021
THE DAM ITSELF REMAINED
COMPLETELY INTACT.
700
00:40:52,317 --> 00:40:56,798
TODAY, THE VAJONT DAM REMAINS
A TESTAMENT TO THE DANGERS
701
00:40:56,822 --> 00:41:00,301
OF UNDERESTIMATING
THE FORCES OF NATURE.
702
00:41:00,325 --> 00:41:01,869
FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE,
703
00:41:01,893 --> 00:41:04,138
THE VAJONT DAM SHOULD
HAVE BECOME ONE
704
00:41:04,162 --> 00:41:07,074
OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE DAMS
IN HISTORY.
705
00:41:07,098 --> 00:41:09,833
INSTEAD, IT'S BECOME ONE
OF THE MOST INFAMOUS.
706
00:41:13,271 --> 00:41:16,984
STILL TO COME, AN
EERIE TOWN IN ARGENTINA
707
00:41:17,008 --> 00:41:20,421
COVERED IN
A MYSTERIOUS WHITE POWDER...
708
00:41:20,445 --> 00:41:24,692
AN AMERICAN GHOST TOWN WHERE
THE GROUND HEAVES AND BUBBLES...
709
00:41:24,716 --> 00:41:26,661
AND A NOTORIOUS JAPANESE SITE
710
00:41:26,685 --> 00:41:30,353
THAT FORMED PART OF
A DISASTROUS CHAIN OF EVENTS.
711
00:41:39,631 --> 00:41:43,010
ON "THE WORLD'S
STRANGEST DISASTER ZONES,"
712
00:41:43,034 --> 00:41:45,980
A PENNSYLVANIAN COMMUNITY
THAT VANISHED,
713
00:41:46,004 --> 00:41:50,117
A GROUP OF INDONESIAN
SETTLEMENTS SUFFOCATED BY MUD,
714
00:41:50,141 --> 00:41:55,690
AND AN ARCTIC TOWN FEELING
THE HEAT OF AN INVISIBLE THREAT.
715
00:41:55,714 --> 00:41:59,393
WHILE SOME DISASTER ZONES
ARE CLEANED UP QUICKLY,
716
00:41:59,417 --> 00:42:02,163
OTHERS LEAVE
A TERRIFYING LEGACY.
717
00:42:02,187 --> 00:42:06,234
IN JAPAN IS A CONFUSING PICTURE
OF DESERTED BUILDINGS
718
00:42:06,258 --> 00:42:08,191
AND SECURITY CORDONS.
719
00:42:12,197 --> 00:42:13,841
IT'S APPARENT
THAT ONCE UPON A TIME,
720
00:42:13,865 --> 00:42:17,345
THIS WAS A BUSTLING,
THRIVING LANDSCAPE
721
00:42:17,369 --> 00:42:20,681
FULL OF HOMES,
BUILDINGS, FACTORIES,
722
00:42:20,705 --> 00:42:24,952
BUT NOW IT'S JUST TORN APART,
DESTROYED.
723
00:42:24,976 --> 00:42:26,521
THERE'S NO QUESTION
THIS ENTIRE LANDSCAPE
724
00:42:26,545 --> 00:42:29,457
WAS SUBJECTED
TO AN OVERWHELMING FORCE.
725
00:42:29,481 --> 00:42:33,060
THE WHOLE AREA LOOKS LIKE
SOME KIND OF A GIANT CHILD
726
00:42:33,084 --> 00:42:37,298
JUST TOSSED IT HELTER-SKELTER.
727
00:42:37,322 --> 00:42:39,433
BUT JUST A FEW MILES AWAY,
728
00:42:39,457 --> 00:42:43,404
AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT SCENE
SEEMS TO BE PLAYING OUT.
729
00:42:43,428 --> 00:42:46,007
THERE'S SOMETHING NOT
QUITE RIGHT ABOUT THIS TOWN.
730
00:42:46,031 --> 00:42:50,066
IT FEELS LIKE A ZOMBIE MOVIE
OR LIKE A GHOST TOWN.
731
00:42:52,170 --> 00:42:54,415
IT'S ON LOCKDOWN.
YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE NEAR IT.
732
00:42:54,439 --> 00:42:55,950
THERE'S SECURITY FENCES.
733
00:42:55,974 --> 00:42:57,718
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED
IN THIS ZONE.
734
00:42:57,742 --> 00:42:59,842
IT'S A NO-GO AREA.
735
00:43:03,214 --> 00:43:05,860
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS AREA
IS SO CONFUSING,
736
00:43:05,884 --> 00:43:07,061
BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND,
737
00:43:07,085 --> 00:43:09,797
THERE'S ABSOLUTE
DEVASTATION AND DESTRUCTION,
738
00:43:09,821 --> 00:43:10,998
AND ON THE OTHER HAND,
739
00:43:11,022 --> 00:43:13,200
THINGS SEEM
PERFECTLY NORMAL AND FINE,
740
00:43:13,224 --> 00:43:14,635
YET NO ONE IS THERE.
741
00:43:14,659 --> 00:43:18,272
THE BIG QUESTION FOR ME IS,
HOW ARE THOSE TWO THINGS LINKED?
742
00:43:23,201 --> 00:43:25,646
IN THE TOWN OF TOMIOKA,
743
00:43:25,670 --> 00:43:29,717
THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL
NOW SITS VACANT AND LOCKED UP.
744
00:43:29,741 --> 00:43:31,052
LITTLE SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED
745
00:43:31,076 --> 00:43:33,754
SINCE IT WAS LAST FILLED
WITH STUDENTS.
746
00:43:36,481 --> 00:43:38,859
THIS IS THE MAIN
SCHOOL BUILDING.
747
00:43:38,883 --> 00:43:41,062
THERE WERE THREE CLASSES
PER GRADE.
748
00:43:41,086 --> 00:43:44,065
IN TOTAL, NINE CLASSES
WERE STUDYING HERE.
749
00:43:44,089 --> 00:43:47,902
STUDENTS WOULD PLAY SOCCER AND
THEN BASEBALL AROUND THE BACK.
750
00:43:47,926 --> 00:43:51,505
THEY WERE TRAINING HARD.
751
00:43:51,529 --> 00:43:55,643
TOSHIKO AOKI IS A
FORMER PRINCIPAL OF THIS SCHOOL.
752
00:43:55,667 --> 00:43:58,646
HAVING LEFT A FEW YEARS
BEFORE DISASTER STRUCK,
753
00:43:58,670 --> 00:44:03,918
SHE STILL RECALLS THE PROMISE OF
THIS PLACE ON THE SPORTS FIELD.
754
00:44:05,577 --> 00:44:08,022
GOLF, BADMINTON, SOCCER...
755
00:44:08,046 --> 00:44:11,058
THESE WERE THE THREE SPORTS
THE SCHOOL WAS FOCUSING ON
756
00:44:11,082 --> 00:44:12,760
WITH THE AIM
OF PRODUCING ATHLETES
757
00:44:12,784 --> 00:44:15,429
THAT WOULD BE
SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONALLY.
758
00:44:15,453 --> 00:44:19,233
THE SCHOOL PROGRAM WAS THEREFORE
DESIGNED AROUND THIS GOAL.
759
00:44:24,195 --> 00:44:28,275
BUT IN 2011, THOSE
AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
760
00:44:28,299 --> 00:44:30,645
WERE SUDDENLY PUT ON HOLD,
761
00:44:30,669 --> 00:44:34,649
AND THE BUILDINGS HAVE
REMAINED EMPTY EVER SINCE.
762
00:44:34,673 --> 00:44:37,151
HANGING ON THE WALL
IS A STARK REMINDER
763
00:44:37,175 --> 00:44:40,554
OF THE EXACT MOMENT
TRAGEDY STUCK THIS PLACE.
764
00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:43,557
LOOK.
765
00:44:43,581 --> 00:44:48,829
THIS CLOCK ON THE SCHOOL
BUILDING, IT STOPPED AT 2:46.
766
00:44:48,853 --> 00:44:54,023
THE TIME ON THE CLOCK HASN'T
CHANGED SINCE MARCH 11, 2011.
767
00:44:57,095 --> 00:45:00,274
ON THAT DAY AT 2:46 P.M.,
768
00:45:00,298 --> 00:45:02,710
A MAGNITUDE-9 EARTHQUAKE
769
00:45:02,734 --> 00:45:06,347
STRUCK THE EAST COAST OF JAPAN.
770
00:45:06,371 --> 00:45:08,582
THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST
INTENSE EARTHQUAKES
771
00:45:08,606 --> 00:45:09,583
EVER RECORDED.
772
00:45:09,607 --> 00:45:12,453
IT LASTED FOR 3 MINUTES.
773
00:45:12,477 --> 00:45:15,623
USUALLY, EARTHQUAKES JUST LAST
FOR A FEW SECONDS.
774
00:45:15,647 --> 00:45:17,792
THE EARTHQUAKE WAS SO POWERFUL
775
00:45:17,816 --> 00:45:19,060
THAT IT SUPPOSEDLY MOVED
776
00:45:19,084 --> 00:45:23,664
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY
OF JAPAN EAST BY 8 FEET.
777
00:45:23,688 --> 00:45:26,934
I CAN'T EVEN FATHOM THAT.
778
00:45:26,958 --> 00:45:30,204
BUT WHILE THE EARTHQUAKE
CAUSED AN EVACUATION HERE,
779
00:45:30,228 --> 00:45:33,674
IT WASN'T THE REASON
NO ONE WAS ALLOWED BACK.
780
00:45:33,698 --> 00:45:38,412
WELL, HERE'S WHAT'S AMAZING
ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE ITSELF,
781
00:45:38,436 --> 00:45:42,149
IS, IT DIDN'T DO AS MUCH DAMAGE
AS YOU'D EXPECT.
782
00:45:42,173 --> 00:45:45,720
JAPAN LEADS THE WORLD
IN EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS,
783
00:45:45,744 --> 00:45:48,956
AND THEY REALLY PLAN
AND BUILD ACCORDINGLY,
784
00:45:48,980 --> 00:45:50,524
SO WHEN THIS EARTHQUAKE HIT,
785
00:45:50,548 --> 00:45:52,727
IT DIDN'T KNOCK DOWN
LOTS OF BUILDINGS
786
00:45:52,751 --> 00:45:55,963
THE WAY IT MIGHT HAVE
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
787
00:45:55,987 --> 00:45:58,833
THE EPICENTER OF THE
EARTHQUAKE WAS 80 MILES
788
00:45:58,857 --> 00:46:01,769
TO THE EAST
IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
789
00:46:01,793 --> 00:46:05,673
AND THAT POSITIONING MEANT
A SECOND DEVASTATING EVENT
790
00:46:05,697 --> 00:46:07,330
WAS SET IN MOTION.
791
00:46:09,367 --> 00:46:12,913
WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE HAPPENS
AND ITS EPICENTER IS AT SEA,
792
00:46:12,937 --> 00:46:14,815
THE LAND SHIFTS,
793
00:46:14,839 --> 00:46:18,753
AND, OF COURSE, IT CAUSES
THE WATER ABOVE TO MOVE.
794
00:46:18,777 --> 00:46:21,288
WHERE IS THAT GONNA GO?
795
00:46:21,312 --> 00:46:23,691
THE LOW-LYING LANDS
NEAR THE COAST
796
00:46:23,715 --> 00:46:25,359
WERE NOW IN THE FIRING LINE
797
00:46:25,383 --> 00:46:28,195
FOR THE NEXT STAGE
OF THIS CATASTROPHE...
798
00:46:28,219 --> 00:46:30,798
A TSUNAMI THAT, AT ITS FASTEST,
799
00:46:30,822 --> 00:46:35,436
WAS TRAVELING
500 MILES PER HOUR.
800
00:46:35,460 --> 00:46:39,440
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE VERY HIGH
SEAWALLS ALONG THIS COAST,
801
00:46:39,464 --> 00:46:42,009
THESE WAVES WERE HIGH ENOUGH
TO CREST THOSE WALLS
802
00:46:42,033 --> 00:46:45,446
AND FLOOD THE COASTAL PLAIN.
803
00:46:45,470 --> 00:46:47,148
WHEN YOU SEE THE
PICTURES OF THE WATER
804
00:46:47,172 --> 00:46:49,083
TEARING THROUGH THAT LANDSCAPE,
805
00:46:49,107 --> 00:46:52,086
TEARING THROUGH PEOPLE'S HOMES
AND LIVES,
806
00:46:52,110 --> 00:46:55,589
IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHETHER YOU LIVE 100 MILES AWAY,
807
00:46:55,613 --> 00:46:57,124
OR YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE GLOBE.
808
00:46:57,148 --> 00:47:01,028
ON A VERY HUMAN SCALE,
YOU CAN ACTUALLY IMAGINE
809
00:47:01,052 --> 00:47:04,865
HOW TERRIFYING THAT WOULD BE.
810
00:47:04,889 --> 00:47:06,600
IN THE END, THE TSUNAMI
811
00:47:06,624 --> 00:47:09,403
REACHED
AS FAR AS 6 MILES INLAND,
812
00:47:09,427 --> 00:47:13,307
AFFECTING AROUND 200
SQUARE MILES OF THE EAST COAST.
813
00:47:13,331 --> 00:47:14,809
THE TSUNAMI WAS DEVASTATING.
814
00:47:14,833 --> 00:47:18,913
IT WIPED OUT THE COASTAL TOWNS,
IT TORE UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
815
00:47:18,937 --> 00:47:24,618
AND SOME 19,000 PEOPLE
WERE KILLED OR MISSING.
816
00:47:24,642 --> 00:47:26,187
I TRAINED AS A CIVIL ENGINEER,
817
00:47:26,211 --> 00:47:29,190
AND I'M REALLY AWARE OF HOW,
818
00:47:29,214 --> 00:47:30,858
YOU KNOW, WE BUILD OUR BUILDINGS
819
00:47:30,882 --> 00:47:33,227
AND OUR STRUCTURES
TO WITHSTAND FAILURE,
820
00:47:33,251 --> 00:47:36,797
BUT IN THE FACE
OF A NATURAL EVENT LIKE THAT,
821
00:47:36,821 --> 00:47:41,969
HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY DESIGN
TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT?
822
00:47:41,993 --> 00:47:47,474
IT'S PHENOMENAL THE AMOUNT
OF POWER THAT NATURE HAS.
823
00:47:47,498 --> 00:47:50,778
NEARBY, NEW EFFORTS TO
SHORE UP THE COASTAL DEFENSES
824
00:47:50,802 --> 00:47:52,079
ARE EVIDENT,
825
00:47:52,103 --> 00:47:55,516
BUT WHILE THESE AREAS
ARE SLOWLY BEING RECLAIMED,
826
00:47:55,540 --> 00:47:58,452
OTHER SITES REMAIN OFF-LIMITS.
827
00:47:58,476 --> 00:48:01,422
SO, YOU'VE GOT SOME
AREAS THAT IT'S CLEAR
828
00:48:01,446 --> 00:48:03,490
THERE WAS DEVASTATION
AND DESTRUCTION,
829
00:48:03,514 --> 00:48:06,060
BUT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS
THAT ARE JUST ABANDONED
830
00:48:06,084 --> 00:48:08,529
BUT LOOK COMPLETELY NORMAL.
831
00:48:08,553 --> 00:48:11,232
THERE'S JUST NO ONE THERE,
AND THE ONLY PEOPLE YOU CAN SEE
832
00:48:11,256 --> 00:48:12,955
ARE SECURITY GUARDS.
833
00:48:15,727 --> 00:48:18,205
THE FACT THAT THERE'S
STILL SECURITY HERE AND GUARDS
834
00:48:18,229 --> 00:48:19,540
PATROLLING THE AREA
835
00:48:19,564 --> 00:48:22,042
MEANS THAT THERE'S STILL
SOME KIND OF THREAT.
836
00:48:32,176 --> 00:48:36,991
ON MARCH 11, 2011,
A SERIES OF DISASTROUS EVENTS
837
00:48:37,015 --> 00:48:39,860
UNFOLDING ON THE EAST COAST
OF JAPAN
838
00:48:39,884 --> 00:48:42,529
THREW THE REGION INTO TURMOIL,
839
00:48:42,553 --> 00:48:47,835
BUT THE SITUATION WAS ABOUT
TO BECOME EVEN WORSE.
840
00:48:47,859 --> 00:48:51,071
THIS REGION GOT HIT
REALLY WITH A TRIPLE DISASTER...
841
00:48:51,095 --> 00:48:53,373
FIRST THE EARTHQUAKE,
THEN THE TSUNAMI,
842
00:48:53,397 --> 00:48:56,877
BUT, THIRD,
THE TSUNAMI KNOCKED OUT
843
00:48:56,901 --> 00:48:59,713
THE LOCAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.
844
00:49:01,105 --> 00:49:03,083
THE NUCLEAR PLANT
MOMENTARILY VANISHED
845
00:49:03,107 --> 00:49:06,086
BEHIND A CLOUD
OF WHITE SMOKE SATURDAY.
846
00:49:06,110 --> 00:49:07,755
IT'S NOT CLEAR
HOW MUCH RADIATION
847
00:49:07,779 --> 00:49:10,057
IS LEAKING FROM THE PLANT.
848
00:49:10,081 --> 00:49:12,459
AND WHEN THOSE NUCLEAR
REACTORS MELTED DOWN,
849
00:49:12,483 --> 00:49:15,896
THAT CREATED A RELEASE
OF RADIOACTIVITY
850
00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:20,234
THAT HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT
ON THE REGION.
851
00:49:20,258 --> 00:49:22,736
THE GOVERNMENT DECLARED
A NUCLEAR EMERGENCY,
852
00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:26,106
AND THE EVACUATION ORDER
WAS ANNOUNCED.
853
00:49:26,130 --> 00:49:27,942
INITIALLY, ONLY THOSE
854
00:49:27,966 --> 00:49:30,911
AROUND A MILE AWAY
FROM THE PLANT WERE AFFECTED,
855
00:49:30,935 --> 00:49:33,914
BUT SOON TOMIOKA
AND ITS HIGH SCHOOL
856
00:49:33,938 --> 00:49:35,115
WOULD BE SWALLOWED UP
857
00:49:35,139 --> 00:49:38,786
BY THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING
RESTRICTED AREA.
858
00:49:41,679 --> 00:49:44,692
FOR PEOPLE AT THE TIME,
THE EARTHQUAKE WAS STRONG,
859
00:49:44,716 --> 00:49:48,629
BUT THE TSUNAMI ONLY REALLY
AFFECTED THE AREA BY THE SEA.
860
00:49:48,653 --> 00:49:51,031
SO THE NEXT MORNING,
ON MARCH 12th,
861
00:49:51,055 --> 00:49:53,801
EVERYONE WAS GOING TO GO HOME
AND TIDY UP,
862
00:49:53,825 --> 00:49:55,736
BUT THEN THERE WAS
AN INSTRUCTION
863
00:49:55,760 --> 00:49:57,871
TO LEAVE THE CITY IMMEDIATELY.
864
00:49:57,895 --> 00:50:00,140
THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO TIME
TO PREPARE.
865
00:50:00,164 --> 00:50:03,143
PEOPLE JUST HAD TO GET
IN THEIR CARS AND LEAVE.
866
00:50:10,274 --> 00:50:12,653
BY THE END OF THAT SECOND DAY,
867
00:50:12,677 --> 00:50:14,655
THE EVACUATION ZONE
HAD STRETCHED
868
00:50:14,679 --> 00:50:18,559
TO A RADIUS OF AROUND
12 1/2 MILES FROM THE PLANT,
869
00:50:18,583 --> 00:50:21,962
BUT AS THE FEARED SPREAD
OF RADIATION CONTINUED,
870
00:50:21,986 --> 00:50:27,201
OTHER AREAS UP TO 34 MILES AWAY
WERE ALSO ORDERED TO EMPTY.
871
00:50:27,225 --> 00:50:31,572
IN TOTAL, NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE
WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES.
872
00:50:36,701 --> 00:50:37,978
IN REALITY,
873
00:50:38,002 --> 00:50:40,681
FROM THE MOMENT
WE LEFT THE CITY ON MARCH 12th
874
00:50:40,705 --> 00:50:44,084
UNTIL THE 31st OF MARCH
6 YEARS LATER,
875
00:50:44,108 --> 00:50:47,610
THE RESIDENTS OF TOMIOKA
WEREN'T ALLOWED BACK HOME.
876
00:50:50,081 --> 00:50:53,861
CUTTING THROUGH WHAT REMAINS
OF THE OFF-LIMITS ZONE TODAY
877
00:50:53,885 --> 00:50:55,229
IS ROUTE 6.
878
00:50:55,253 --> 00:50:58,132
ROUTE 6 HAS TO BE
THE WEIRDEST ROAD TRIP
879
00:50:58,156 --> 00:50:59,800
YOU COULD EVER UNDERTAKE.
880
00:50:59,824 --> 00:51:03,470
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO
TOO MANY TIMES IN 1 DAY,
881
00:51:03,494 --> 00:51:05,606
AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO STOP
ANYWHERE ALONG
882
00:51:05,630 --> 00:51:07,841
THAT PARTICULAR PART
OF THE ROUTE.
883
00:51:07,865 --> 00:51:09,676
THE RADIATION LEVELS
ARE JUST TOO HIGH,
884
00:51:09,700 --> 00:51:12,079
SO YOU'RE TOLD TO KEEP
YOUR WINDOWS UP
885
00:51:12,103 --> 00:51:14,882
AND JUST KEEP ON GOING.
886
00:51:17,475 --> 00:51:19,019
THERE ARE HOUSES INSIDE,
887
00:51:19,043 --> 00:51:21,444
BUT, OF COURSE,
NOBODY LIVES THERE.
888
00:51:24,615 --> 00:51:26,093
THERE ARE STORES AROUND HERE,
889
00:51:26,117 --> 00:51:28,595
BUT THEY'VE BEEN LEFT
COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED,
890
00:51:28,619 --> 00:51:31,487
THE SAME AS THEY WERE
8 OR 9 YEARS AGO.
891
00:51:35,460 --> 00:51:36,837
IN RECENT YEARS,
892
00:51:36,861 --> 00:51:40,908
THE MOST EXPENSIVE NUCLEAR
CLEANUP OPERATION IN HISTORY
893
00:51:40,932 --> 00:51:42,309
HAS BEEN UNDER WAY,
894
00:51:42,333 --> 00:51:46,713
AND GRADUALLY, MORE AND MORE
AREAS ARE BEING REOPENED.
895
00:51:46,737 --> 00:51:49,183
CONTAMINATED TOPSOIL HAS
HAD TO BE REMOVED
896
00:51:49,207 --> 00:51:50,417
IN ORDER TO STOP THE SPREAD,
897
00:51:50,441 --> 00:51:53,954
AND YOU CAN SEE ACROSS
THE REGION LARGE MOUNDS
898
00:51:53,978 --> 00:51:55,656
FULL OF THIS SOIL.
899
00:51:55,680 --> 00:51:57,991
THEY'RE TRYING TO CONTAIN IT.
900
00:51:58,015 --> 00:52:00,727
MANKIND DOESN'T STAND
STILL AFTER A DISASTER,
901
00:52:00,751 --> 00:52:04,364
AND ALTHOUGH IT'S DIFFICULT
AND EXPENSIVE TO CLEAN UP,
902
00:52:04,388 --> 00:52:05,432
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING,
903
00:52:05,456 --> 00:52:07,301
AND GRADUALLY, MORE
AND MORE AREAS
904
00:52:07,325 --> 00:52:10,092
ARE OPENING BACK UP
WITH A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH.
905
00:52:14,332 --> 00:52:16,610
THE REASON THERE
ARE SO MANY TRUCKS
906
00:52:16,634 --> 00:52:17,945
IS BECAUSE THEY ARE CARRYING
907
00:52:17,969 --> 00:52:21,215
DECONTAMINATED THINGS
AND BUILDING MATERIALS.
908
00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:24,673
EITHER WAY, IT'S MAINLY
WORK VEHICLES IN THIS AREA.
909
00:52:28,346 --> 00:52:30,524
IF THE RADIATION LEVEL
GOES DOWN,
910
00:52:30,548 --> 00:52:32,426
THE EVACUATION ORDER
IN THIS AREA
911
00:52:32,450 --> 00:52:34,428
WILL GRADUALLY BE CANCELED,
912
00:52:34,452 --> 00:52:38,265
BUT AT THE MOMENT, THIS AREA
IS STILL A NO-GO ZONE.
913
00:52:46,130 --> 00:52:49,309
THE TSUNAMI CLAIMED
THOUSANDS OF LIVES,
914
00:52:49,333 --> 00:52:51,378
BUT THE FALLOUT
FROM THE POWER PLANT
915
00:52:51,402 --> 00:52:54,381
HAS LEFT BEHIND
A CONTROVERSIAL LEGACY.
916
00:52:58,342 --> 00:53:01,288
THE GREATEST DAMAGE
FROM THE NUCLEAR ACCIDENT
917
00:53:01,312 --> 00:53:03,290
IS NOT THE SPREAD OF RADIATION
918
00:53:03,314 --> 00:53:05,726
OR THE INCREASE
IN LEVEL OF RADIATION,
919
00:53:05,750 --> 00:53:08,896
BUT THE PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT
HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY ALTERED.
920
00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:11,798
I THINK THAT WHAT IS REALLY
POLLUTED IS NOT THE AIR,
921
00:53:11,822 --> 00:53:15,469
BUT THE SOUL OF THE PEOPLE.
922
00:53:15,493 --> 00:53:18,906
THE RESULTS OF THIS
ACCIDENT ARE SO PARADOXICAL.
923
00:53:18,930 --> 00:53:21,742
WE THINK OF IT AS
A DEVASTATING NUCLEAR RELEASE,
924
00:53:21,766 --> 00:53:25,012
BUT THE TOTAL AMOUNTS OF
RADIATION WERE NOT LARGE ENOUGH,
925
00:53:25,036 --> 00:53:26,880
ACCORDING TO
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
926
00:53:26,904 --> 00:53:30,184
AND OTHERS WHO'VE STUDIED IT,
TO CAUSE MASS FATALITIES
927
00:53:30,208 --> 00:53:32,920
OR POTENTIALLY ANY FATALITIES.
928
00:53:32,944 --> 00:53:34,688
BUT HERE'S THE BIG IRONY.
929
00:53:34,712 --> 00:53:36,823
IN A FOLLOW-UP STUDY,
THEY FOUND OUT THAT MORE
930
00:53:36,847 --> 00:53:41,695
THAN 1,600 PEOPLE
WHO WERE EVACUATED DIED
931
00:53:41,719 --> 00:53:45,332
PARTLY FROM THE STRESS
OF THE EVACUATION.
932
00:53:45,356 --> 00:53:48,268
MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE
WERE ELDERLY OR SUFFERING
933
00:53:48,292 --> 00:53:52,406
FROM MEDICAL CONDITIONS,
AND IT'S FOR SIMILAR INDIVIDUALS
934
00:53:52,430 --> 00:53:55,108
THAT TOSHIKO IS NOW
DOING HER PART
935
00:53:55,132 --> 00:53:58,679
HELPING AS AN ADVISOR
FOR THE LOCAL SUPPORT CENTER.
936
00:54:02,707 --> 00:54:05,686
SINCE THE EVACUATION ORDER
WAS PARTIALLY CANCELED,
937
00:54:05,710 --> 00:54:09,189
I MOVED MY RESIDENCY
DOCUMENTATION BACK.
938
00:54:09,213 --> 00:54:12,593
I'M LIVING IN TOMIOKA CITY NOW
AND DOING THIS JOB,
939
00:54:12,617 --> 00:54:15,596
SO FOR THE PEOPLE OF TOMIOKA
AND FOR ME,
940
00:54:15,620 --> 00:54:18,031
THE DISASTER CHANGED OUR LIVES.
941
00:54:24,328 --> 00:54:28,809
STILL TO COME, TOWNS
ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLANET
942
00:54:28,833 --> 00:54:32,512
SUCCUMB TO UNEXPECTED
SUBTERRANEAN FORCES...
943
00:54:32,536 --> 00:54:35,249
AND A SEEMINGLY
ISOLATED DISASTER
944
00:54:35,273 --> 00:54:39,152
THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO IMPACT THE ENTIRE PLANET.
945
00:54:50,588 --> 00:54:55,269
STRANGE DISASTER ZONES
STREWN ACROSS OUR PLANET.
946
00:54:55,293 --> 00:54:58,939
SETTLING SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS
WAS TEMPTING FATE.
947
00:54:58,963 --> 00:55:03,377
OTHERS ARE FOUND IN
THE MOST UNLIKELY OF PLACES.
948
00:55:08,439 --> 00:55:10,584
ONE SUCH PECULIAR SITE
949
00:55:10,608 --> 00:55:13,553
IS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY,
PENNSYLVANIA,
950
00:55:13,577 --> 00:55:17,758
WHERE A TOWN APPEARS
TO HAVE BEEN WIPED OFF THE MAP.
951
00:55:22,520 --> 00:55:25,220
IN A WAY, IT'S A GHOST TOWN
WITHOUT THE TOWN.
952
00:55:27,391 --> 00:55:30,337
THIS SHOT WAS TAKEN
IN OCTOBER OF 1983
953
00:55:30,361 --> 00:55:32,005
LOOKING UP TOWARD
THE TOP OF TOWN,
954
00:55:32,029 --> 00:55:34,207
AND YOU CAN SEE
THERE WAS AN ENTIRE TOWN
955
00:55:34,231 --> 00:55:36,943
THERE THAT'S NOW GONE.
956
00:55:36,967 --> 00:55:39,780
A FREEWAY WITH NO CARS.
957
00:55:39,804 --> 00:55:43,283
FOUNDATIONS, YET NO HOUSES.
958
00:55:43,307 --> 00:55:47,387
A POLICE STATION
BUT NO POLICE FORCE.
959
00:55:47,411 --> 00:55:49,756
IT'S THE VICTIM OF SOMETHING
THAT MOST OF US
960
00:55:49,780 --> 00:55:51,613
COULDN'T BELIEVE COULD HAPPEN.
961
00:55:53,918 --> 00:55:56,096
UNTIL THE 1970s,
962
00:55:56,120 --> 00:55:59,766
CENTRALIA WAS
AN ORDINARY AMERICAN TOWN,
963
00:55:59,790 --> 00:56:03,870
BUT THEN PEOPLE STARTED
REPORTING STRANGE INCIDENTS...
964
00:56:03,894 --> 00:56:08,742
DIZZYING FUMES,
STEAMING CRACKS IN THE GROUND,
965
00:56:08,766 --> 00:56:10,911
AND A LOCAL BOY
NARROWLY SURVIVED
966
00:56:10,935 --> 00:56:13,001
FALLING INTO A SINKHOLE.
967
00:56:15,039 --> 00:56:19,152
YOU WOULD SEE STEAM COMING OUT
OF THIS GIGANTIC HIGHWAY CRACK.
968
00:56:19,176 --> 00:56:21,421
PEOPLE WONDERED
WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS.
969
00:56:21,445 --> 00:56:23,623
THEY MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS
SOME KIND OF VOLCANO
970
00:56:23,647 --> 00:56:25,492
DOWN THERE MAYBE.
971
00:56:25,516 --> 00:56:30,297
IN FACT, THE GROUND
BENEATH THEIR FEET WAS ON FIRE,
972
00:56:30,321 --> 00:56:33,200
AND IT'S STILL BURNING TODAY.
973
00:56:33,224 --> 00:56:37,204
SO, THIS IS A BOREHOLE,
AND IF WE UNSCREW THIS CAP,
974
00:56:37,228 --> 00:56:41,041
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THE FIRE
IS LIKE UNDERNEATH.
975
00:56:45,336 --> 00:56:47,214
OOH, NICE AND HOT.
976
00:56:47,238 --> 00:56:53,720
I CAN SMELL THE DISTINCTIVE KIND
OF SULFUR-ISH SMELL OF THE FIRE.
977
00:56:53,744 --> 00:56:56,656
CENTRALIA SITS ON A VAST NETWORK
978
00:56:56,680 --> 00:56:58,625
OF ABANDONED COAL MINES.
979
00:56:58,649 --> 00:57:01,261
IT'S THOUGHT A LANDFILL FIRE
FOUND ITS WAY
980
00:57:01,285 --> 00:57:03,163
INTO THIS SUBTERRANEAN LABYRINTH
981
00:57:03,187 --> 00:57:06,299
AND BEGAN SPREADING
BENEATH PEOPLE'S HOMES.
982
00:57:06,323 --> 00:57:08,301
THERE WERE CITIZEN GROUPS
IN CENTRALIA SAYING,
983
00:57:08,325 --> 00:57:10,070
"HEY, YOU GOT TO GET US
OUT OF HERE,"
984
00:57:10,094 --> 00:57:12,472
BUT THEY STILL TOOK
ALMOST 2 YEARS
985
00:57:12,496 --> 00:57:15,876
TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
986
00:57:15,900 --> 00:57:19,679
IN 1984, THE
POPULATION OF CENTRALIA
987
00:57:19,703 --> 00:57:21,281
WAS RELOCATED,
988
00:57:21,305 --> 00:57:23,439
AND THE HOUSES DEMOLISHED.
989
00:57:26,243 --> 00:57:30,090
TODAY, THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE
THE COMMUNITY OF CENTRALIA
990
00:57:30,114 --> 00:57:33,994
EVER EXISTED,
BUT ONE QUESTION REMAINS.
991
00:57:34,018 --> 00:57:35,395
SO, HOW LONG COULD IT BURN?
992
00:57:35,419 --> 00:57:38,999
I'VE HEARD FIGURES LIKE
200 YEARS, 250 YEARS,
993
00:57:39,023 --> 00:57:40,767
BUT IN THE END,
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS.
994
00:57:40,791 --> 00:57:43,737
IT'LL GO UNTIL IT STOPS BURNING,
RUNS OUT OF FUEL,
995
00:57:43,761 --> 00:57:45,138
RUNS OUT OF AIR.
996
00:57:45,162 --> 00:57:49,276
NEITHER OF THOSE ARE LIKELY
TO HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON.
997
00:57:49,300 --> 00:57:52,045
FROM A SUBTERRANEAN
INFERNO IN AMERICA,
998
00:57:52,069 --> 00:57:56,149
TO A PERPLEXING DISASTER ON
THE INDONESIAN ISLAND OF JAVA.
999
00:57:56,173 --> 00:57:58,084
ONE WHERE THE CAUSE IS KNOWN.
1000
00:57:58,108 --> 00:58:01,977
THE OTHER WHERE RUMOR
AND INTRIGUE ENVELOP THE SITE.
1001
00:58:04,748 --> 00:58:05,926
THERE'S HOMES.
1002
00:58:05,950 --> 00:58:07,394
THERE'S FACTORIES.
1003
00:58:07,418 --> 00:58:08,662
THERE'S RELIGIOUS SHRINES.
1004
00:58:08,686 --> 00:58:10,831
BUT THERE'S NOBODY AROUND.
1005
00:58:10,855 --> 00:58:14,401
IT REALLY LOOKS A VERY
STRANGE ENVIRONMENT.
1006
00:58:14,425 --> 00:58:17,103
THERE ARE ROADS, BUT THEY STOP
AT THIS STRANGE BANK
1007
00:58:17,127 --> 00:58:19,461
THAT JUST SEEMS
TO CUT EVERYTHING OFF.
1008
00:58:21,565 --> 00:58:23,410
IT'S GOT WARNING SIGNS.
1009
00:58:23,434 --> 00:58:24,744
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT'S
ON THE OTHER SIDE,
1010
00:58:24,768 --> 00:58:27,981
BUT CLEARLY SOMETHING
DID HAPPEN HERE
1011
00:58:28,005 --> 00:58:32,185
THAT HAS PROFOUNDLY
AFFECTED THIS WHOLE AREA.
1012
00:58:32,209 --> 00:58:34,221
PAST THIS MYSTERIOUS BARRIER,
1013
00:58:34,245 --> 00:58:36,289
FURTHER QUESTIONS ARE RAISED.
1014
00:58:36,313 --> 00:58:38,458
SO, IF YOU CAN PEEK
OVER THE TOP,
1015
00:58:38,482 --> 00:58:40,293
YOU SEE THE STRANGEST THING...
1016
00:58:40,317 --> 00:58:42,429
A VAST LAKE OF MUD,
1017
00:58:42,453 --> 00:58:45,131
AND SOME PARTS ARE STILL WET
AND RUNNING AND BUBBLING,
1018
00:58:45,155 --> 00:58:48,624
AND OTHER PARTS HAVE DRIED
AND CRACKED IN THE SUN.
1019
00:58:50,761 --> 00:58:54,007
THE SURFACE AREA
OF THE MUD IS ABSOLUTELY VAST.
1020
00:58:54,031 --> 00:58:56,877
THIS GOES ON AS FAR
AS THE EYE CAN SEE.
1021
00:58:56,901 --> 00:58:58,912
IT'S MIND-BENDINGLY LARGE.
1022
00:58:58,936 --> 00:59:01,047
AND THE VERY UNNERVING THING
THAT CREEPS UP ON YOU
1023
00:59:01,071 --> 00:59:03,617
AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT
IS A SENSE OF QUESTIONING,
1024
00:59:03,641 --> 00:59:05,185
"IS THIS STILL LIVE?
1025
00:59:05,209 --> 00:59:09,322
IS THIS FINISHED, OR IS THERE
STILL YET MORE TO COME?"
1026
00:59:09,346 --> 00:59:11,758
CLOSER INSPECTION
OF THIS MUDDY SURFACE,
1027
00:59:11,782 --> 00:59:13,426
YOU CAN ACTUALLY
SEE THINGS ON IT.
1028
00:59:13,450 --> 00:59:14,728
YOU SEE STRUCTURES.
1029
00:59:14,752 --> 00:59:16,863
IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING THERE BEFORE,
1030
00:59:16,887 --> 00:59:21,701
AND THE MUD IS NOW COMPLETELY
DRAPED OVER EVERYTHING.
1031
00:59:21,725 --> 00:59:22,836
SO, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
1032
00:59:22,860 --> 00:59:24,571
WAS THIS A NATURAL DISASTER?
1033
00:59:24,595 --> 00:59:26,806
DID THIS HAPPEN
IN A MAN-MADE WAY?
1034
00:59:33,237 --> 00:59:36,616
TURNS OUT, IN THIS
CASE, IT COULD BE BOTH,
1035
00:59:36,640 --> 00:59:39,452
BUT WITH THE SITE
SUBMERGED IN SUFFOCATING MUD,
1036
00:59:39,476 --> 00:59:42,289
SCIENTISTS WOULD STRUGGLE
TO PROVE IT.
1037
00:59:55,626 --> 00:59:57,804
BACK IN 2006,
1038
00:59:57,828 --> 01:00:02,275
THIS WAS THE FLOURISHING
RURAL DISTRICT OF PORONG.
1039
01:00:02,299 --> 01:00:04,377
MUAWANAH ONCE LIVED HERE.
1040
01:00:08,973 --> 01:00:12,052
THIS USED TO BE MY VILLAGE...
1041
01:00:12,076 --> 01:00:14,321
JATIREJO VILLAGE.
1042
01:00:14,345 --> 01:00:16,256
IT USED TO BE
A PROSPEROUS VILLAGE,
1043
01:00:16,280 --> 01:00:19,492
BUT NOW ALL YOU CAN SEE
IS THE MUDFLOW.
1044
01:00:19,516 --> 01:00:21,695
WE USED TO LIVE TOGETHER
AS A FAMILY,
1045
01:00:21,719 --> 01:00:24,419
BUT NOW OUR RELATIVES
ARE SCATTERED EVERYWHERE.
1046
01:00:26,690 --> 01:00:32,806
THIS IS THE LUMPUR
SIDOARJO MUDFLOW, AKA LUSI.
1047
01:00:32,830 --> 01:00:36,209
THE RELICS OF HOMESTEADS,
MOSQUES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
1048
01:00:36,233 --> 01:00:41,181
FESTER AROUND THE EDGE
OF THIS ENORMOUS MUD LAKE.
1049
01:00:41,205 --> 01:00:44,484
THIS WAS A BUZZING,
THRIVING AGRICULTURAL AREA.
1050
01:00:44,508 --> 01:00:46,386
AROUND 60,000 PEOPLE.
1051
01:00:46,410 --> 01:00:48,521
THERE WERE FIELDS.
THERE WAS WORK TO BE DONE.
1052
01:00:48,545 --> 01:00:51,558
IT WAS A FERTILE AREA.
1053
01:00:51,582 --> 01:00:54,761
THIS DEADLY DELUGE
STARTED WITHOUT WARNING
1054
01:00:54,785 --> 01:00:58,531
ON MAY 29, 2006.
1055
01:00:58,555 --> 01:01:04,404
TODAY, THE LUSI MUDFLOW COATS
NEARLY 6 SQUARE MILES OF PORONG,
1056
01:01:04,428 --> 01:01:06,806
AND IT'S STILL GROWING.
1057
01:01:08,999 --> 01:01:11,244
PEOPLE WERE RUNNING
FOR THEIR LIVES.
1058
01:01:11,268 --> 01:01:14,581
THEY WERE SHOUTING, "MUDFLOW.
MUDFLOW. MUDFLOW."
1059
01:01:14,605 --> 01:01:17,773
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT GOT EVEN BIGGER.
1060
01:01:21,245 --> 01:01:24,224
THE MUDFLOW BURIED 16 VILLAGES,
1061
01:01:24,248 --> 01:01:26,693
AS WELL AS HUNDREDS
OF PADDY FIELDS,
1062
01:01:26,717 --> 01:01:30,786
COMMERCIAL FISH PONDS,
AND 24 FACTORIES.
1063
01:01:34,258 --> 01:01:37,070
HERE, DOWN HERE,
WAS WHERE THE HOUSES,
1064
01:01:37,094 --> 01:01:40,040
THE CEMETERY, THE SCHOOL,
AND THE MOSQUE USED TO BE.
1065
01:01:40,064 --> 01:01:42,208
NOW EVERYTHING IS BURIED
BY THE MUD.
1066
01:01:46,036 --> 01:01:49,749
MUAWANAH AND THOUSANDS
MORE PORONG RESIDENTS
1067
01:01:49,773 --> 01:01:52,585
HAVE BEEN EVACUATED EVER SINCE.
1068
01:01:52,609 --> 01:01:56,556
THE IMPACT OF ALL OF THIS MUD
WAS UTTER CARNAGE.
1069
01:01:56,580 --> 01:01:59,059
SOME 60,000 PEOPLE
WERE DISPLACED,
1070
01:01:59,083 --> 01:02:02,929
THEIR HOMES JUST GONE,
THE AREA UNLIVABLE.
1071
01:02:02,953 --> 01:02:04,264
A GAS PIPELINE WAS SEVERED,
1072
01:02:04,288 --> 01:02:07,600
RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION
THAT KILLED 13 PEOPLE.
1073
01:02:07,624 --> 01:02:12,272
WHAT HAD BEEN A VERY FUNCTIONAL
AGRICULTURAL AREA
1074
01:02:12,296 --> 01:02:15,008
WAS NOW A COMPLETE WAR ZONE.
1075
01:02:15,032 --> 01:02:16,743
IMAGINE THESE PEOPLE
JUST HAPPILY
1076
01:02:16,767 --> 01:02:18,178
GOING ALONG WITH THEIR LIVES,
1077
01:02:18,202 --> 01:02:20,814
THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE
OF EVERYDAY LIVING,
1078
01:02:20,838 --> 01:02:22,682
BUT LITTLE DID THEY KNOW
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING
1079
01:02:22,706 --> 01:02:24,751
GOING ON UNDERGROUND
1080
01:02:24,775 --> 01:02:27,809
THAT WAS GONNA CHANGE
THEIR LIVES INSTANTLY.
1081
01:02:32,282 --> 01:02:34,060
I STILL REMEMBER THAT DAY.
1082
01:02:34,084 --> 01:02:36,496
I WAS RUNNING WITH MY CHILDREN.
1083
01:02:36,520 --> 01:02:40,200
AND NOW I JUST DON'T KNOW.
1084
01:02:40,224 --> 01:02:42,758
I'M WORRIED ABOUT
MY CHILDREN'S FUTURE.
1085
01:02:44,995 --> 01:02:47,073
WILL I BE ABLE TO PUT FOOD
ON THE TABLE?
1086
01:02:47,097 --> 01:02:49,209
WILL I EVER GET
A DECENT JOB NOW?
1087
01:02:49,233 --> 01:02:51,077
THAT'S WHAT I KEEP
THINKING ABOUT.
1088
01:02:51,101 --> 01:02:52,212
I DON'T KNOW.
1089
01:02:52,236 --> 01:02:54,236
I'M JUST FIGHTING
FOR THE CHILDREN.
1090
01:02:57,207 --> 01:03:00,687
AT FIRST, THE CAUSE
OF THIS BAFFLING PHENOMENON
1091
01:03:00,711 --> 01:03:02,489
WAS A MYSTERY.
1092
01:03:02,513 --> 01:03:05,625
SOMETHING CAUSED AN EXPLOSION
OF MUD OUT OF THE GROUND.
1093
01:03:05,649 --> 01:03:08,528
IT WAS JETTING UP MORE THAN
10 METERS HIGH INTO THE SKY,
1094
01:03:08,552 --> 01:03:10,697
AND IT'S BEEN MEASURED
TO HAVE BEEN ERUPTING
1095
01:03:10,721 --> 01:03:15,935
180,000 CUBIC METERS
OF MUDDY MATERIAL EVERY DAY.
1096
01:03:15,959 --> 01:03:21,775
NOW PORONG LIES BURIED
UNDER 130 FEET OF MUD.
1097
01:03:21,799 --> 01:03:24,844
ECONOMICALLY, IT'S BEEN
INCREDIBLY DESTRUCTIVE.
1098
01:03:24,868 --> 01:03:28,314
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT IT'S COST
ABOUT $3 BILLION
1099
01:03:28,338 --> 01:03:30,383
IN TERMS OF LOST INFRASTRUCTURE.
1100
01:03:30,407 --> 01:03:34,654
AND ALL THE EFFORTS TO CONTAIN
THIS MUD LAKE HAVE FAILED.
1101
01:03:40,818 --> 01:03:42,095
SO, THIS IS THE MUD.
1102
01:03:42,119 --> 01:03:44,931
WHEN IT'S HALF DRY,
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE CRACKS.
1103
01:03:44,955 --> 01:03:48,735
BUT WHEN IT'S FULLY DRY,
IT'S SOFT LIKE DESERT SAND.
1104
01:03:48,759 --> 01:03:50,170
THE MUD IS SALTY.
1105
01:03:50,194 --> 01:03:52,705
THE SALT CONTENT IS VERY HIGH.
1106
01:03:52,729 --> 01:03:53,807
WHOA. YES.
1107
01:03:53,831 --> 01:03:56,209
THAT'S SALTY. VERY SALTY.
1108
01:03:56,233 --> 01:03:58,845
THIS PLACE USED TO BE
FULL OF TREES,
1109
01:03:58,869 --> 01:04:01,080
BUT NOW IT'S LIKE THE DESERT.
1110
01:04:01,104 --> 01:04:04,283
VEGETATION CAN'T GROW HERE
ANYMORE.
1111
01:04:04,307 --> 01:04:05,852
THE MUD THAT'S LEAKING OUT
1112
01:04:05,876 --> 01:04:08,721
IS NOT LIKE THE MUD
IN YOUR BACKYARD.
1113
01:04:08,745 --> 01:04:11,624
IT'S FULL OF VARIOUS
HEAVY METALS,
1114
01:04:11,648 --> 01:04:15,829
AND GAS IS COMING UP WITH IT...
CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE,
1115
01:04:15,853 --> 01:04:17,897
WHICH IS ALSO VERY UNHEALTHY
FOR PEOPLE.
1116
01:04:17,921 --> 01:04:21,022
SO IT'S REALLY AN ENVIRONMENTAL
CATASTROPHE FOR THE REGION.
1117
01:04:23,060 --> 01:04:26,339
THERE'S LITTLE SIGN AS
TO WHERE ALL THIS NOXIOUS MUD
1118
01:04:26,363 --> 01:04:28,241
IS COMING FROM.
1119
01:04:28,265 --> 01:04:33,847
SO WHY DID THIS CATASTROPHIC
MUDFLOW START SO ABRUPTLY?
1120
01:04:33,871 --> 01:04:38,084
WHAT'S CLEARLY HAPPENED
HERE IS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
1121
01:04:38,108 --> 01:04:40,553
PEOPLE DON'T JUST BUILD
BUILDINGS IN AND AROUND PLACES
1122
01:04:40,577 --> 01:04:42,978
WHERE MUD'S GONNA
SPEW OUT OF THE LAND.
1123
01:04:45,482 --> 01:04:49,229
THE MUD THAT DROWNS
THIS SITE IS BUBBLING HOT...
1124
01:04:49,253 --> 01:04:52,232
A CLUE TO WHERE
IT'S COMING FROM.
1125
01:04:52,256 --> 01:04:54,601
THE COMPLEX, EVER-SHIFTING
TECTONICS
1126
01:04:54,625 --> 01:04:58,638
BELOW THE 17,000 ISLANDS
OF INDONESIA
1127
01:04:58,662 --> 01:05:03,732
MEAN THIS ARCHIPELAGO IS
UNDERLAIN BY A VIOLENT GEOLOGY.
1128
01:05:06,737 --> 01:05:10,016
INDONESIA'S A
LIVELY PLACE GEOLOGICALLY.
1129
01:05:10,040 --> 01:05:12,452
THERE'S EARTHQUAKES.
THERE'S VOLCANOES.
1130
01:05:12,476 --> 01:05:15,188
BUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING
THERE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
1131
01:05:15,212 --> 01:05:17,724
THIS AREA ITSELF IS
NOT NECESSARILY
1132
01:05:17,748 --> 01:05:21,261
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY VOLCANOES.
1133
01:05:21,285 --> 01:05:22,929
BUT BELOW PORONG,
1134
01:05:22,953 --> 01:05:25,999
GEOTHERMAL HEAT IS PUSHING
UNDERGROUND WATER,
1135
01:05:26,023 --> 01:05:28,434
MIXED WITH MUD,
UP TO THE SURFACE,
1136
01:05:28,458 --> 01:05:31,526
WHERE IT ERUPTS AS MUD VOLCANO.
1137
01:05:33,730 --> 01:05:36,776
BUT THE AMOUNT OF MUD COMING OUT
OF THE LUSI MUD VOLCANO
1138
01:05:36,800 --> 01:05:38,578
CONFOUNDED EXPERTS
1139
01:05:38,602 --> 01:05:43,850
BECAUSE IT COULD ONLY
COME FROM ONE PLACE.
1140
01:05:43,874 --> 01:05:45,818
THE LUSI MUD VOLCANO IS TAPPING
1141
01:05:45,842 --> 01:05:50,757
INTO A MUCH LARGER
GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENON.
1142
01:05:50,781 --> 01:05:54,761
THE GASES EMITTED
WITH THE LUSI MUDFLOW LINK IT
1143
01:05:54,785 --> 01:05:57,530
TO A LARGE ACTIVE VOLCANO SYSTEM
1144
01:05:57,554 --> 01:06:01,968
10 MILES AWAY THAT PRODUCES
AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF MUD
1145
01:06:01,992 --> 01:06:06,906
THAT POWERS THROUGH A SYSTEM
OF NATURAL TUNNELS.
1146
01:06:06,930 --> 01:06:10,576
BUT THIS STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN
WHAT CAUSED THE LUSI MUDFLOW
1147
01:06:10,600 --> 01:06:13,446
TO SUDDENLY START HERE.
1148
01:06:13,470 --> 01:06:17,083
THERE'S THE REAL QUESTION
AS TO WHETHER THIS IS ENTIRELY
1149
01:06:17,107 --> 01:06:19,252
A NATURAL PHENOMENON,
A NATURAL DISASTER,
1150
01:06:19,276 --> 01:06:21,587
OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE
THAT'S GONE ON,
1151
01:06:21,611 --> 01:06:24,590
SOMETHING MAYBE FROM
A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
1152
01:06:24,614 --> 01:06:27,894
THAT'S HELPED TO TRIGGER THIS?
1153
01:06:27,918 --> 01:06:30,763
THE FINGER OF
SUSPICION POINTED TO AN OIL
1154
01:06:30,787 --> 01:06:35,601
AND GAS EXPLORATION COMPANY
DRILLING IN PORONG.
1155
01:06:35,625 --> 01:06:37,370
THE PROCESS OF DRILLING
FOR NATURAL GAS
1156
01:06:37,394 --> 01:06:39,372
IS REALLY VERY TRICKY.
1157
01:06:39,396 --> 01:06:41,074
WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN
INTO THE EARTH,
1158
01:06:41,098 --> 01:06:42,942
AND YOU GO THROUGH
LAYERS OF ROCK
1159
01:06:42,966 --> 01:06:44,177
THAT KEEP EVERYTHING SEALED IN,
1160
01:06:44,201 --> 01:06:46,079
YOU'RE PUNCHING A HOLE
THROUGH THAT ROCK,
1161
01:06:46,103 --> 01:06:49,015
AND THE GAS WANTS TO SQUIRT UP
OUT OF THAT HOLE,
1162
01:06:49,039 --> 01:06:52,752
AND ANYTHING THAT'S MIXED
WITH THE GAS... WATER, OIL,
1163
01:06:52,776 --> 01:06:56,422
MUCK, MUD... THAT WILL COME
SQUIRTING UP, AS WELL.
1164
01:06:56,446 --> 01:06:58,658
THE GAS ITSELF IS
UNDER HUGE PRESSURE.
1165
01:06:58,682 --> 01:07:01,060
IT'S LIKE OPENING A SODA BOTTLE,
YOU KNOW,
1166
01:07:01,084 --> 01:07:04,564
AND THE WAY
IT ALL COMES FOAMING OUT.
1167
01:07:04,588 --> 01:07:07,467
SOME CLAIM THAT IN 2006,
1168
01:07:07,491 --> 01:07:09,769
BELOW THE DISTRICT OF PORONG,
1169
01:07:09,793 --> 01:07:11,693
THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED.
1170
01:07:14,531 --> 01:07:18,778
A COMPANY DRILLING AN
EXPLORATORY WELL FOR NATURAL GAS
1171
01:07:18,802 --> 01:07:21,114
BASICALLY BUNGLED
THE DRILLING OPERATION,
1172
01:07:21,138 --> 01:07:24,384
AND THAT ALLOWED PRESSURIZED
WATER AND MUD
1173
01:07:24,408 --> 01:07:28,276
TO FLOW UP TO THE SURFACE
FROM DEEP UNDERGROUND.
1174
01:07:32,649 --> 01:07:35,128
THE THEORY IS THAT
THIS DRILLING,
1175
01:07:35,152 --> 01:07:38,297
JUST 200 YARDS
FROM THE LUSI MUD ERUPTION,
1176
01:07:38,321 --> 01:07:40,767
FRACTURED AN OLD FAULT SYSTEM
THAT LINKS
1177
01:07:40,791 --> 01:07:43,425
PORONG TO THE ACTIVE VOLCANO.
1178
01:07:46,263 --> 01:07:51,644
NOW THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP
THE DEADLY FLOW OF MUD.
1179
01:07:51,668 --> 01:07:55,515
BUT THE DRILLING COMPANY
POINTED TO YET ANOTHER CAUSE.
1180
01:07:55,539 --> 01:07:59,252
AN EARTHQUAKE A COUPLE OF
HUNDRED MILES AWAY 2 DAYS BEFORE
1181
01:07:59,276 --> 01:08:00,887
MIGHT HAVE OPENED UP A FAULT
1182
01:08:00,911 --> 01:08:05,758
OR SOMEHOW SET OFF
THIS FLOW OF MUD.
1183
01:08:05,782 --> 01:08:08,227
THE DRILLING COMPANY
CLAIM THE EARTHQUAKE
1184
01:08:08,251 --> 01:08:13,132
CREATED THE PRESSURE
TO REACTIVATE THE FAULT SYSTEM.
1185
01:08:13,156 --> 01:08:16,135
MANY EXPERTS DISPUTE
THIS POSSIBILITY,
1186
01:08:16,159 --> 01:08:20,606
AND THOSE WHOSE HOMES LIE BURIED
IN MUD ARE IN NO DOUBT.
1187
01:08:23,900 --> 01:08:26,946
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO DO THE
DRILLING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA?
1188
01:08:26,970 --> 01:08:28,648
COULDN'T THEY HAVE DONE IT
SOMEWHERE ELSE...
1189
01:08:28,672 --> 01:08:32,385
IN THE FOREST OR SOMETHING,
WHERE THERE ARE NO HOUSES?
1190
01:08:32,409 --> 01:08:34,921
MUAWANAH AND HER
NEIGHBORS HAVE RECEIVED
1191
01:08:34,945 --> 01:08:38,524
A SMALL AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION
FROM THE DRILLING COMPANY.
1192
01:08:40,517 --> 01:08:43,262
THEY GAVE US 20%,
AND THEN THEY SAID, AT FIRST,
1193
01:08:43,286 --> 01:08:46,399
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PAY
THE REMAINING 80% IN CASH,
1194
01:08:46,423 --> 01:08:48,022
BUT THEY DIDN'T.
1195
01:08:51,928 --> 01:08:54,807
TODAY, THE HORRORS
OF THE RECENT PAST
1196
01:08:54,831 --> 01:08:56,943
REMAIN IN PLAIN VIEW,
1197
01:08:56,967 --> 01:08:59,045
WITH THE FLOW OF MUD SHOOTING
FROM THE DEPTHS
1198
01:08:59,069 --> 01:09:02,682
OF THE EARTH
CONTINUING RELENTLESSLY.
1199
01:09:02,706 --> 01:09:04,317
THE LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN
FUNDAMENTALLY
1200
01:09:04,341 --> 01:09:05,785
AND RADICALLY ALTERED,
1201
01:09:05,809 --> 01:09:08,788
BUT, ACTUALLY, AT HEART,
THIS IS A TRAGIC HUMAN STORY.
1202
01:09:08,812 --> 01:09:11,346
THERE ARE PEOPLE STILL FIGHTING
FOR COMPENSATION.
1203
01:09:14,918 --> 01:09:16,429
STILL TO COME...
1204
01:09:16,453 --> 01:09:18,564
A SOUTH AMERICAN DISASTER ZONE
1205
01:09:18,588 --> 01:09:20,800
COVERED IN A STRANGE
WHITE SUBSTANCE
1206
01:09:20,824 --> 01:09:23,603
THAT HOLDS THE KEY
TO WHAT HAPPENED HERE...
1207
01:09:23,627 --> 01:09:27,039
AND SCIENTISTS UNCOVER
AN EVEN-GREATER THREAT
1208
01:09:27,063 --> 01:09:29,542
WHEN STUDYING AN ARCTIC TRAGEDY.
1209
01:09:40,076 --> 01:09:43,322
THE FATE OF THE
WORLD'S STRANGEST DISASTER ZONES
1210
01:09:43,346 --> 01:09:46,425
IS NOT ALWAYS DETERMINED
IN AN INSTANT.
1211
01:09:46,449 --> 01:09:50,363
SOME OF THE MOST MALEVOLENT
FORCES CREEP UP SLOWLY
1212
01:09:50,387 --> 01:09:53,399
AND HAVE DEVASTATING
CONSEQUENCES.
1213
01:10:00,997 --> 01:10:05,578
ONE SUCH DISASTER ZONE SITS
IN THE HEARTLANDS OF ARGENTINA,
1214
01:10:05,602 --> 01:10:11,784
WHERE THE REMAINS OF A TOWN ARE
SET WITHIN A TORTURED LANDSCAPE.
1215
01:10:11,808 --> 01:10:14,754
CLINGING TO EVERY SURFACE
IS A WHITE SUBSTANCE
1216
01:10:14,778 --> 01:10:18,791
THAT PAINTS THIS PLACE
A BLEAK MONOCHROME HUE.
1217
01:10:18,815 --> 01:10:20,726
AND WHILE THERE APPEARS
TO BE LITTLE EVIDENCE
1218
01:10:20,750 --> 01:10:22,862
OF WHAT CAUSED SUCH DESTRUCTION,
1219
01:10:22,886 --> 01:10:26,599
IT IS THAT BLEACHED LAYER
THAT HOLDS THE ANSWERS.
1220
01:10:31,561 --> 01:10:35,875
WHILE MOST DISASTER ZONES
LIE DESERTED, THIS ONE DOES NOT.
1221
01:10:37,400 --> 01:10:38,878
I'M PABLO NOVAK,
1222
01:10:38,902 --> 01:10:41,814
THE ONLY RESIDENT
LEFT IN THE RUINS.
1223
01:10:41,838 --> 01:10:45,673
I STAYED, AND I WAS SURE SOMEONE
WOULD COME BACK EVENTUALLY.
1224
01:10:48,111 --> 01:10:49,922
IT USED TO BE SO FAMOUS.
1225
01:10:49,946 --> 01:10:55,161
SO MANY PEOPLE USED
TO COME HERE FROM ALL OVER.
1226
01:10:55,185 --> 01:10:59,532
THESE ARE THE RUINS
OF VILLA EPECUĂ©N.
1227
01:10:59,556 --> 01:11:01,100
FOR MUCH OF THE 20th CENTURY,
1228
01:11:01,124 --> 01:11:06,072
THIS WAS A LUXURIOUS
LAKESIDE RETREAT.
1229
01:11:08,531 --> 01:11:11,577
THIS WAS STARTED
AS THE RECREO ALMAZA...
1230
01:11:11,601 --> 01:11:13,012
A DANCE HALL.
1231
01:11:13,036 --> 01:11:16,415
AND BECAUSE THE ROOM WAS SMALL
AND LOTS OF PEOPLE CAME,
1232
01:11:16,439 --> 01:11:18,851
THEY ALSO USED IT FOR A THEATER,
1233
01:11:18,875 --> 01:11:23,689
WITH THEATER COMPANIES
COMING FROM BUENOS AIRES.
1234
01:11:23,713 --> 01:11:26,225
THE TOWN'S MAIN
ATTRACTION, HOWEVER,
1235
01:11:26,249 --> 01:11:27,493
LAY BESIDE IT...
1236
01:11:27,517 --> 01:11:30,129
THE MINERAL- AND SALT-RICH LAKE.
1237
01:11:30,153 --> 01:11:32,765
FAMED FOR ITS SUPPOSED
HEALING POWERS,
1238
01:11:32,789 --> 01:11:36,869
NO ONE FORESAW THE TRUE
DESTRUCTIVE POTENTIAL IT BORE.
1239
01:11:36,893 --> 01:11:41,540
IN 1985, AN UNPRECEDENTED PERIOD
OF RAINFALL BEGAN,
1240
01:11:41,564 --> 01:11:45,044
AND SOON THE TOWN'S FLOOD
DEFENSES WERE OVERCOME.
1241
01:11:45,068 --> 01:11:49,949
THE FLOODWATERS GRADUALLY,
SLOWLY CONSUMED THE ENTIRE TOWN.
1242
01:11:49,973 --> 01:11:54,954
AND BY 1993, IT WAS SUBMERGED
UNDER 30 FEET OF WATER,
1243
01:11:54,978 --> 01:11:59,425
EFFECTIVELY BECOMING
A MODERN-DAY ATLANTIS.
1244
01:11:59,449 --> 01:12:03,296
IN THE PASSING DECADES,
THE WATER HAS SINCE RECEDED,
1245
01:12:03,320 --> 01:12:06,332
LEAVING BEHIND THE EVIDENCE
OF WHAT OCCURRED.
1246
01:12:07,890 --> 01:12:09,869
EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN SEE NOW
1247
01:12:09,893 --> 01:12:13,639
HADN'T BEEN SEEN FOR 20 YEARS.
1248
01:12:13,663 --> 01:12:16,909
AND THE TWIST IS,
THIS HIGHLY SALINED WATER
1249
01:12:16,933 --> 01:12:20,546
LEFT THE TOWN COVERED
IN A THICK LAYER OF SALT,
1250
01:12:20,570 --> 01:12:23,504
GIVING IT THIS
UNIQUE APPEARANCE.
1251
01:12:26,676 --> 01:12:29,989
FOR PABLO, THE TOWN'S
LAST RESIDENT,
1252
01:12:30,013 --> 01:12:32,325
THE BATTLE TO REMAIN CONTINUES.
1253
01:12:33,717 --> 01:12:35,294
AS LONG AS I CAN WALK,
1254
01:12:35,318 --> 01:12:38,731
TALK, AND HAVE A GOOD MEMORY,
I WILL STAY HERE.
1255
01:12:48,331 --> 01:12:52,778
FROM TECTONIC VIOLENCE
TO SILENT KILLERS,
1256
01:12:52,802 --> 01:12:57,483
MYSTIFYING NATURAL EVENTS
AND MAN-MADE CALAMITIES,
1257
01:12:57,507 --> 01:13:02,009
HUMANS HAVE A HABIT OF PLACING
THEMSELVES IN THE FIRING LINE.
1258
01:13:05,515 --> 01:13:10,296
THE FINAL SITE STANDS ON
THE ICY SHORES OF SVALBARD,
1259
01:13:10,320 --> 01:13:12,832
WHERE IMMEDIATE PERIL
LOOMS LARGE,
1260
01:13:12,856 --> 01:13:17,002
BUT THE CAUSE OF THAT DANGER
THREATENS THE ENTIRE PLANET.
1261
01:13:21,865 --> 01:13:26,245
SVALBARD FEELS LIKE
IT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE EARTH.
1262
01:13:26,269 --> 01:13:29,315
IT IS A BRUTAL LANDSCAPE,
1263
01:13:29,339 --> 01:13:33,519
COLD, BARREN, AND FIERCE.
1264
01:13:33,543 --> 01:13:36,055
IN WINTER, THE PLACE
IS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH SNOW
1265
01:13:36,079 --> 01:13:37,356
AND IN DARKNESS,
1266
01:13:37,380 --> 01:13:39,759
AND IN SUMMER,
YOU GET 24 HOURS' DAYLIGHT,
1267
01:13:39,783 --> 01:13:43,996
AND SO IT'S
A REAL AREA OF EXTREMES.
1268
01:13:44,020 --> 01:13:47,233
THE TOWN ITSELF IS THE
WORLD'S NORTHERNMOST SETTLEMENT
1269
01:13:47,257 --> 01:13:49,068
OF 1,000 PEOPLE OR MORE.
1270
01:13:49,092 --> 01:13:52,805
YOU CAN'T LIVE ANY FARTHER
NORTH THAN THIS.
1271
01:13:52,829 --> 01:13:56,175
AS THE SEASONS CHANGE
AND THE SNOW MELTS,
1272
01:13:56,199 --> 01:13:58,477
CRUMBLING RUINS APPEAR
ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE
1273
01:13:58,501 --> 01:14:00,146
ABOVE THE MAIN TOWN,
1274
01:14:00,170 --> 01:14:04,505
BUT THESE OLD WRECKS AREN'T THE
ONLY DESERTED STRUCTURES HERE.
1275
01:14:06,509 --> 01:14:09,655
MOST OF THE TOWN SEEMS TO BE
DOING FINE, AND IT'S POPULATED,
1276
01:14:09,679 --> 01:14:13,192
BUT THEN YOU HAVE THESE POCKETS
THAT ARE ABANDONED.
1277
01:14:13,216 --> 01:14:15,294
WE'RE USED TO SEEING
OLD ABANDONED BUILDINGS
1278
01:14:15,318 --> 01:14:19,598
ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE,
BUT THESE BUILDINGS LOOK FINE.
1279
01:14:19,622 --> 01:14:21,434
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU COULD MOVE IN.
1280
01:14:21,458 --> 01:14:24,537
IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM
TO MAKE SENSE.
1281
01:14:24,561 --> 01:14:30,643
THAT'S BECAUSE THE REAL ISSUE
IS HIDDEN COMPLETELY FROM VIEW.
1282
01:14:30,667 --> 01:14:33,379
A FIRST CLUE TO WHAT'S
HAPPENING HERE
1283
01:14:33,403 --> 01:14:37,817
MAY BE FOUND IN
THOSE COLLAPSING RUINS ABOVE.
1284
01:14:37,841 --> 01:14:41,320
ON THE EDGE OF TOWN ARE THESE
OLD INDUSTRIAL-LOOKING FEATURES,
1285
01:14:41,344 --> 01:14:45,724
JUST STANDING THERE,
FORLORN AND FORGOTTEN.
1286
01:14:45,748 --> 01:14:49,662
THE WAY THESE BUILDINGS HAVE
FALLEN INTO THIS CONDITION
1287
01:14:49,686 --> 01:14:52,465
MAKES YOU WONDER
IF THE SAME FATE AWAITS
1288
01:14:52,489 --> 01:14:54,655
THOSE MODERN BUILDINGS IN TOWN.
1289
01:14:57,227 --> 01:15:01,640
A DEADLY THREAT HOVERS
OVER THIS TOWN,
1290
01:15:01,664 --> 01:15:06,178
AND IT COULD YET HAVE
FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES.
1291
01:15:06,202 --> 01:15:08,948
THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING
THIS TOWN ARE QUITE SERIOUS.
1292
01:15:08,972 --> 01:15:11,717
IN FACT, POTENTIALLY DEADLY.
1293
01:15:11,741 --> 01:15:16,222
ALREADY, TWO LIVES
HAVE BEEN LOST.
1294
01:15:16,246 --> 01:15:19,592
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE
IS TERRIFYING.
1295
01:15:19,616 --> 01:15:22,061
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS THE
BEGINNINGS OF SOMETHING
1296
01:15:22,085 --> 01:15:25,231
THAT COULD SOON BE
BEYOND OUR CONTROL,
1297
01:15:25,255 --> 01:15:30,436
AND THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCES
UNLEASHED COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.
1298
01:15:34,998 --> 01:15:37,142
A DISTANT AND PERILOUS PLACE
1299
01:15:37,166 --> 01:15:39,411
TO VISIT IN THE 19th CENTURY,
1300
01:15:39,435 --> 01:15:44,683
OVER 100 YEARS AGO, THIS LAND
HELD LITTLE VALUE FOR MOST.
1301
01:15:44,707 --> 01:15:46,519
ORIGINALLY, THE ONLY
PEOPLE WHO WOULD GO TO THIS
1302
01:15:46,543 --> 01:15:49,421
FAR-NORTHERN
COLLECTION OF ISLANDS
1303
01:15:49,445 --> 01:15:52,558
WERE WHALERS
AND PEOPLE HUNTING SEALS.
1304
01:15:52,582 --> 01:15:57,329
BUT IN 1906, AN AMERICAN NAMED
JOHN LONGYEAR CAME HERE
1305
01:15:57,353 --> 01:15:59,698
LOOKING FOR COAL.
1306
01:15:59,722 --> 01:16:03,202
EARLY 20th CENTURY,
LATE 19th CENTURY,
1307
01:16:03,226 --> 01:16:04,904
THE WORLD IS
GOING THROUGH CHANGES
1308
01:16:04,928 --> 01:16:07,973
WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY COAL.
1309
01:16:07,997 --> 01:16:12,444
SO A RESOURCE SUCH AS COAL
FOUND IN AN AREA LIKE THIS
1310
01:16:12,468 --> 01:16:15,614
IS POTENTIALLY VERY,
VERY VALUABLE.
1311
01:16:15,638 --> 01:16:17,783
THE TOWN OF LONGYEARBYEN
1312
01:16:17,807 --> 01:16:20,586
GREW ON
THE BACK OF THE COAL INDUSTRY.
1313
01:16:20,610 --> 01:16:21,887
BUT IN THE MODERN WORLD,
1314
01:16:21,911 --> 01:16:24,490
THE LUSTER OF COAL
HAS DIMINISHED,
1315
01:16:24,514 --> 01:16:28,794
AND STRUCTURES LIKE THESE
HAVE PAID THE PRICE.
1316
01:16:28,818 --> 01:16:30,596
MORE RECENTLY, COAL HAS BECOME
1317
01:16:30,620 --> 01:16:32,665
SORT OF MORE OF A DIRTY WORD
1318
01:16:32,689 --> 01:16:34,533
THAN SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT,
1319
01:16:34,557 --> 01:16:39,038
AND SO THE ACTUAL SCALING BACK
OF COAL MINING GLOBALLY
1320
01:16:39,062 --> 01:16:44,009
HAS HAPPENED, BUT IT'S ALSO
HAPPENED IN SVALBARD.
1321
01:16:44,033 --> 01:16:45,411
A SLUMP IN THE MARKET
1322
01:16:45,435 --> 01:16:49,348
COULD MEAN LESS DEMAND
FOR HOUSING IN THE TOWN,
1323
01:16:49,372 --> 01:16:54,119
BUT THERE IS MORE TO THIS STORY
THAN FIRST MEETS THE EYE.
1324
01:16:54,143 --> 01:16:56,822
THE APARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
ABANDONED...
1325
01:16:56,846 --> 01:16:59,024
THAT IS NOT RELATED
TO THE DECLINE OF COAL.
1326
01:16:59,048 --> 01:17:02,394
THERE'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
PROBLEM THERE.
1327
01:17:02,418 --> 01:17:04,330
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
FORCED OUT
1328
01:17:04,354 --> 01:17:07,399
BECAUSE OF A DEADLY THREAT
TO THOSE BUILDINGS.
1329
01:17:07,423 --> 01:17:10,502
WITH ALL THAT MINING IN THE AREA
OVER THE YEARS,
1330
01:17:10,526 --> 01:17:13,305
YOU'VE GOT TO WONDER
IF THAT'S CREATED AN ISSUE.
1331
01:17:13,329 --> 01:17:16,075
HAS IT DESTABILIZED
THE LAND SOMEHOW?
1332
01:17:21,871 --> 01:17:24,116
WHAT DANGER LURKS HERE?
1333
01:17:24,140 --> 01:17:26,485
WHY HAVE VIRTUALLY
BRAND-NEW BUILDINGS
1334
01:17:26,509 --> 01:17:29,276
BEEN ABANDONED
TO THE ARCTIC TUNDRA?
1335
01:17:39,188 --> 01:17:42,167
IN THE NORTHERNMOST
TOWN IN THE WORLD
1336
01:17:42,191 --> 01:17:44,069
SITS A GROUP
OF CONDEMNED BUILDINGS
1337
01:17:44,093 --> 01:17:48,207
DEEMED UNSAFE TO LIVE IN
BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
1338
01:17:48,231 --> 01:17:49,642
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG
WITH THE BUILDING.
1339
01:17:49,666 --> 01:17:51,010
IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
1340
01:17:51,034 --> 01:17:54,446
THE PROBLEM IS THE LOCATION.
1341
01:17:54,470 --> 01:17:57,638
SOMETHING HAS CHANGED
THAT MAKES IT MORE DANGEROUS.
1342
01:17:59,876 --> 01:18:01,520
IT'S A TERRIBLE FEELING
1343
01:18:01,544 --> 01:18:03,455
TO SEE ALL THESE EMPTY BUILDINGS
1344
01:18:03,479 --> 01:18:07,493
STANDING AROUND,
AND NOBODY CAN USE THEM.
1345
01:18:07,517 --> 01:18:09,483
NOBODY LIVES UP HERE ANYMORE.
1346
01:18:11,688 --> 01:18:15,300
NIELS LORENSEN LIVED
IN A SIMILAR APARTMENT NEAR HERE
1347
01:18:15,324 --> 01:18:16,924
UNTIL RECENTLY.
1348
01:18:19,028 --> 01:18:21,907
AND HE'S SEEN MORE AND MORE
PLACES BECOME OFF-LIMITS
1349
01:18:21,931 --> 01:18:24,777
TO RESIDENTS.
1350
01:18:24,801 --> 01:18:28,047
THERE ARE RED ZONES,
A LOT OF PLACES IN THIS AREA,
1351
01:18:28,071 --> 01:18:33,419
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED
BY THESE RED ZONES,
1352
01:18:33,443 --> 01:18:37,945
AND IT COST THE COMMUNITY
AND PEOPLE A LOT OF MONEY.
1353
01:18:40,850 --> 01:18:42,227
WE HAVE A KINDERGARTEN.
1354
01:18:42,251 --> 01:18:43,829
BOTH MY KIDS WENT THERE.
1355
01:18:43,853 --> 01:18:47,199
AND THAT KINDERGARTEN
IS CLOSED NOW.
1356
01:18:47,223 --> 01:18:51,070
IT'S A SAD, SAD STORY.
1357
01:18:51,094 --> 01:18:52,805
DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS,
1358
01:18:52,829 --> 01:18:55,307
THOSE APARTMENTS
ARE NOT AT RISK.
1359
01:18:55,331 --> 01:18:59,066
BUT WHEN WINTER COMES,
THE THREAT LEVEL RISES...
1360
01:19:01,671 --> 01:19:05,139
...AS NIELS EXPERIENCED
FIRSTHAND JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
1361
01:19:07,477 --> 01:19:09,221
I WAS JUST CLEANING MY HOUSE,
1362
01:19:09,245 --> 01:19:12,224
AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS
A BIG BANG IN THE HOUSE,
1363
01:19:12,248 --> 01:19:15,861
AND STRAIGHTAWAY I UNDERSTOOD
THAT THIS WAS AN AVALANCHE
1364
01:19:15,885 --> 01:19:16,962
AND IT WAS BIG.
1365
01:19:16,986 --> 01:19:18,764
IT WAS ENORMOUS.
1366
01:19:18,788 --> 01:19:22,267
IT HAD A LOT OF SPEED.
1367
01:19:22,291 --> 01:19:24,470
I SAW IN MY DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM,
1368
01:19:24,494 --> 01:19:27,973
AND I COULD SEE
STRAIGHT OUT HER WALL
1369
01:19:27,997 --> 01:19:32,311
BECAUSE OF THE BUILDING
HAS BROKE APART.
1370
01:19:32,335 --> 01:19:35,214
NIELS' APARTMENT CAN
BE SEEN IN AERIAL FOOTAGE
1371
01:19:35,238 --> 01:19:37,505
TAKEN BEFORE
THE AVALANCHE STRUCK.
1372
01:19:40,510 --> 01:19:42,488
BUT IT WASN'T THE FIRST VICTIM.
1373
01:19:42,512 --> 01:19:47,960
OTHER BUILDINGS HAVE ALSO
BEEN DESTROYED IN RECENT YEARS.
1374
01:19:47,984 --> 01:19:53,365
IN 2015, A MASSIVE,
SUDDEN AVALANCHE HIT THE TOWN.
1375
01:19:53,389 --> 01:19:59,037
IMAGINE A HUGE SHEET OF ICE,
SNOW, AND STONE
1376
01:19:59,061 --> 01:20:01,473
CRASHING INTO THESE HOUSES
WITH SUCH FORCE
1377
01:20:01,497 --> 01:20:03,242
THAT IT LITERALLY LIFTED THEM UP
1378
01:20:03,266 --> 01:20:05,900
AND DEPOSITED THEM
ACROSS THE STREET.
1379
01:20:08,938 --> 01:20:12,384
IT SOON EMERGED THAT
EIGHT PEOPLE HAD BEEN INJURED
1380
01:20:12,408 --> 01:20:16,522
AND TWO PEOPLE HAD BEEN KILLED.
1381
01:20:16,546 --> 01:20:21,460
NOBODY BELIEVED THAT
IT COULD BE SO LARGE AVALANCHE
1382
01:20:21,484 --> 01:20:23,862
THAT IT COULD HIT THE HOUSES
AND KILL PEOPLE,
1383
01:20:23,886 --> 01:20:30,057
AND I THINK NOBODY
THOUGHT THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.
1384
01:20:31,194 --> 01:20:35,040
WHILE AVALANCHE BARRIERS
STAND ABOVE THE TOWN TODAY,
1385
01:20:35,064 --> 01:20:37,176
FOR THOSE HOLLOWED-OUT
APARTMENTS,
1386
01:20:37,200 --> 01:20:40,179
THE RISKS ARE JUST TOO GREAT.
1387
01:20:40,203 --> 01:20:41,680
THE DANGER THAT THOSE
OTHER APARTMENTS
1388
01:20:41,704 --> 01:20:43,448
FACED IN RECENT YEARS...
1389
01:20:43,472 --> 01:20:47,019
THIS PLACE NOW FACES
THAT SAME THREAT.
1390
01:20:47,043 --> 01:20:50,255
COME WINTER, THEY'LL BE RIGHT
IN THE FIRING LINE,
1391
01:20:50,279 --> 01:20:53,992
AND THE ORDER HAS COME DOWN
TO COMPLETELY EVACUATE
1392
01:20:54,016 --> 01:20:57,162
AND DEMOLISH THIS PLACE.
1393
01:20:57,186 --> 01:21:00,065
TODAY, IT'S NOT ONLY
THOSE APARTMENTS
1394
01:21:00,089 --> 01:21:02,768
THAT LIE INSIDE THIS RED ZONE.
1395
01:21:02,792 --> 01:21:06,271
THESE STRUCTURES WEREN'T BUILT
IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION.
1396
01:21:06,295 --> 01:21:10,108
THE LOCATION HAS BECOME
DANGEROUS.
1397
01:21:10,132 --> 01:21:12,411
SO, WHAT CAUSED THIS?
1398
01:21:12,435 --> 01:21:15,581
STANDING SOLEMNLY ON
THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN
1399
01:21:15,605 --> 01:21:17,082
ARE THE COLLAPSING STRUCTURES
1400
01:21:17,106 --> 01:21:20,719
THAT HOLD THE CLUES
TO THE ISSUE AT HAND,
1401
01:21:20,743 --> 01:21:24,823
AND THERE'S A STARTLING
CONCLUSION BEING DRAWN.
1402
01:21:24,847 --> 01:21:27,492
THE IRONY HERE IS THAT
THE VERY INDUSTRY
1403
01:21:27,516 --> 01:21:31,330
THAT BUILT THIS COMMUNITY
ALSO ENDANGERS IT,
1404
01:21:31,354 --> 01:21:34,933
AND THAT'S THE PROCESS
OF MINING AND BURNING COAL,
1405
01:21:34,957 --> 01:21:37,870
WHICH RELEASES SO MUCH CARBON
DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
1406
01:21:37,894 --> 01:21:43,141
THAT, ULTIMATELY,
IT STARTS TO WARM THE PLANET.
1407
01:21:43,165 --> 01:21:45,177
AT THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY,
1408
01:21:45,201 --> 01:21:47,512
GLACIOLOGIST HEIDI SEVESTRE
1409
01:21:47,536 --> 01:21:51,950
HAS BEEN STUDYING
THE CHANGES AFFECTING SVALBARD.
1410
01:21:51,974 --> 01:21:54,653
THE BLACK CURVE IS THE CHANGES
IN TEMPERATURES
1411
01:21:54,677 --> 01:21:59,391
GLOBALLY FOR THE PAST 120 YEARS,
AND THE ORANGE CURVE
1412
01:21:59,415 --> 01:22:01,960
IS THE CHANGES
IN TEMPERATURES IN SVALBARD.
1413
01:22:01,984 --> 01:22:05,497
WHEN WE LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING
FOR THE PAST 2 OR 3 DECADES,
1414
01:22:05,521 --> 01:22:07,599
THERE, THE TEMPERATURES
REALLY DIVERGE,
1415
01:22:07,623 --> 01:22:10,636
AND WE SEE THE TEMPERATURES
IN SVALBARD INCREASE
1416
01:22:10,660 --> 01:22:14,539
TWICE AS FAST
AS THE REST OF THE WORLD.
1417
01:22:14,563 --> 01:22:17,576
SINCE 1971, ON AVERAGE,
1418
01:22:17,600 --> 01:22:21,480
TEMPERATURES HERE HAVE RISEN
BY 4 DEGREES CELSIUS.
1419
01:22:21,504 --> 01:22:25,651
THIS IS THE FASTEST-WARMING
PLACE ON EARTH.
1420
01:22:25,675 --> 01:22:27,586
IT'S LIKE AN EXAGGERATED VERSION
1421
01:22:27,610 --> 01:22:29,454
OF GLOBAL WARMING, IF YOU WILL.
1422
01:22:29,478 --> 01:22:31,156
BUT IT HAS DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.
1423
01:22:31,180 --> 01:22:33,892
AND IT'S REALLY CHANGING
THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT,
1424
01:22:33,916 --> 01:22:36,395
AND THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE
HAVE TO DRAMATICALLY CHANGE
1425
01:22:36,419 --> 01:22:38,730
THEIR LIFESTYLES
TO COPE WITH IT.
1426
01:22:38,754 --> 01:22:41,400
FOR THE HOMES THAT
HAVE BEEN LOST ALREADY
1427
01:22:41,424 --> 01:22:44,303
AND FOR THOSE NOW
IN THE FIRING LINE,
1428
01:22:44,327 --> 01:22:46,605
THIS DRASTIC TEMPERATURE CHANGE
1429
01:22:46,629 --> 01:22:51,310
HAS MADE LARGE AVALANCHES
A VERY REAL THREAT.
1430
01:22:51,334 --> 01:22:53,912
THIS KIND OF AVALANCHE
ISN'T UNCOMMON,
1431
01:22:53,936 --> 01:22:56,281
BUT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN
IN THE HIGH ARCTIC
1432
01:22:56,305 --> 01:22:58,450
IN A SUPER-COLD ENVIRONMENT.
1433
01:22:58,474 --> 01:23:03,722
IT WAS MADE POSSIBLE
BY THIS UNPRECEDENTED WARMTH.
1434
01:23:03,746 --> 01:23:08,360
TODAY, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DRAW
A LINK BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE
1435
01:23:08,384 --> 01:23:10,095
AND THE 2015 AVALANCHE.
1436
01:23:10,119 --> 01:23:12,998
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
OUR PREDICTIONS DEFINE
1437
01:23:13,022 --> 01:23:16,924
THAT THERE WILL BE MORE AND MORE
EVENTS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
1438
01:23:19,028 --> 01:23:22,941
TODAY, AVALANCHES ARE
NOT THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE
1439
01:23:22,965 --> 01:23:25,911
OF CLIMATE CHANGE
SVALBARD FACES.
1440
01:23:25,935 --> 01:23:28,547
ITS GLACIERS ARE RAPIDLY
RECEDING,
1441
01:23:28,571 --> 01:23:33,185
AND THE ARCHIPELAGO'S SEAS
NO LONGER FREEZE IN WINTER.
1442
01:23:33,209 --> 01:23:35,387
THE LOCATION MAY BE REMOTE,
1443
01:23:35,411 --> 01:23:40,492
BUT THESE ALARMING EVENTS
ARE A WARNING TO US ALL.
1444
01:23:40,516 --> 01:23:42,694
ARCTIC RANGES LIKE THIS
ARE KIND OF LIKE THE CANARY
1445
01:23:42,718 --> 01:23:44,096
IN THE COAL MINE.
1446
01:23:44,120 --> 01:23:45,697
WHATEVER IS HAPPENING TO
THE WHOLE PLANET
1447
01:23:45,721 --> 01:23:47,132
IS GONNA HAPPEN FASTER HERE
1448
01:23:47,156 --> 01:23:52,137
BECAUSE THE WEATHER THERE IS
SO EXTREME IN THE FIRST PLACE.
1449
01:23:52,161 --> 01:23:55,674
IT'S HUMAN NATURE NOT TO
APPRECIATE THE SCALE OF DANGER
1450
01:23:55,698 --> 01:23:56,875
UNTIL IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US,
1451
01:23:56,899 --> 01:24:00,212
UNTIL THE CATASTROPHE
IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
1452
01:24:00,236 --> 01:24:03,048
AND IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE SNOW
AND ICE IS SLIDING DOWN
1453
01:24:03,072 --> 01:24:05,917
THE MOUNTAIN TOWARDS YOU,
IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE.
1454
01:24:05,941 --> 01:24:09,009
Subtitles Diego Moraes(oakislandtk)
www.opensubtitles.org116809