Flood Disaster (film)
Flood Disaster is a 1977 Swiss short by Roger Steinmann. The film was labeled ‘Switzerland's first disaster movie' as depicting a major water dam-break with the subsequent flooding of the metropole of Zurich.
Background
The 1937 installed dam created Switzerland largest artificial lake, the Sihlsee. A failure of the dam could lead, according to studies, to an 8-metre high flood wave through the lower Sihl Valley reaching the Altstadt of the city of Zürich, the biggest city in Switzerland, within 2 hours. This threat has led the City of Zürich to develop, publish and test evacuation plans for the affected areas of the city, and especially the area around Zürich Hauptbahnhof railway station.Production
15-year high school-student Roger Steinmann was inspired by Zürich's frequent test-alarms in case of a dam-break. With already several years of filming experience in 1977, he realized the 'would-be'-situation of a catastrophe due to an earthquake.Some music was borrowed from Doctor Zhiwago, and some sound from Earthquake.
Steinmann cast one lead-role with his class-mate, the future mathematic-professor Peter Bürgisser.