Flood Memorial

On June 15, 1965, a protective dam on the Danube broke near today's Patince (formerly known as Pat), which was one of the most serious events of the great Csallóköz flood of 1965. The disaster was caused by the extraordinary amount of precipitation in the previous weeks and the rapid melting of snow accumulated in the Alps, which resulted in a permanently high water level. The water level of the river rose in several waves, and the dams were under long-term load. By mid-June, the ground was completely soaked, so the structure of the protective works was weakened. The dam broke in the morning, and the flowing water flooded the surrounding areas in a short time. The water flooded the settlement of Pat, then spread towards the villages of Alsó-Csallóköz. The authorities immediately began to evacuate the population, and tens of thousands of people had to be transported to a safe place. Many houses were damaged or collapsed, and agricultural areas were submerged for weeks. A few days later, dams on other sections of the river also broke, further increasing the damage. The 1965 flood ultimately triggered significant flood protection developments along the Danube to prevent a similar disaster from occurring on such a scale in the future.