The Economic Times

In 1971, liquefied clay swallowed dozens of homes in a Quebec village and killed 31 people; the surviving population was permanently relocated

Fifty years ago, a massive landslide devastated Saint-Jean-Vianney, Quebec, engulfing homes and claiming lives. Unstable soil, saturated by heavy rains, triggered the catastrophic event on May 4, 1971. Emergency services and military personnel responded swiftly to the immense destruction and ongoing rescue efforts. Survivors relocated after the village was declared unsafe for habitation due to the large crater. Research later revealed a similar landslide occurred at the site centuries prior.