“All that remained was the water that flowed.”The Stava Valley after the disaster. (Courtesy of the Stava 1985 Foundation Archive)The 1985 failure of the Prestavel Dam, high above Tesero, left the Stava Valley in ruins. (Stava 1985 Foundation Archive)“It is a miracle that I am alive,” says Deflorian. (Courtesy of the Stava 1985 Foundation Archive)“You have to understand, Montedison was the biggest chemical company in Italy,” says Lucchi. (Courtesy of the Stava 1985 Foundation Archive)These events brought a sense of closure.

Source: International New York Times February 16, 2026 22:42 UTC