The Vega de Tera dam fails, triggering a disastrous flood that nearly destroys the town of Ribadelago and kills 144 residents.

The Vega de Tera disaster, was a flood that occurred on the early morning of 9 January 1959 in the Province of Zamora, Spain. The flood was caused by the failure of a dam, releasing water from the Vega de Tera reservoir. A total of 144 of the 664 residents in Ribadelago were killed. It was the first of two fatal dam failures in Europe that year; in December, the collapse of the Malpasset Dam resulted in over 400 fatalities.

Ribadelago is a village located in province of Zamora, Spain. It is in the Galende municipality. It was partially destroyed in 1959 due to a dam failure in Vega de Tera reservoir, which caused 144 deaths.

January 9 is the ninth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 356 days remain until the end of the year.