▁by ▁Dutch ▁colonial ▁authorities ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁and ▁was ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁high . ▁It ▁was ▁made ▁from ▁earth ▁compact ed ▁into ▁a ▁wall ▁ ▁high ▁and ▁the ▁res er voir ▁held ▁at ▁least ▁ ▁of ▁water . ▁The ▁original ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁dam ▁had ▁been ▁to ▁retain ▁water ▁for ▁ir rig ation ▁of ▁rice ▁p add ies ▁which ▁were ▁then ▁replaced ▁by ▁urban ▁development . ▁People ▁living ▁near ▁the ▁dam ▁had ▁made ▁compla ints ▁about ▁le aks ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁and ▁the ▁dam ▁actually ▁bre ached ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁but ▁no ▁damage ▁was ▁done . ▁It ▁is ▁thought ▁that ▁little ▁maintenance ▁had ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁since ▁the ▁dam ▁was ▁built . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁flo od ▁▁ ▁The ▁area ▁experienced ▁several ▁hours ▁of ▁heavy ▁rain ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 6 – 2 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁which ▁caused ▁the ▁dam ▁level ▁to ▁rise , ▁apparently ▁because ▁the ▁gate ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁sp ill way ▁was ▁too ▁small . ▁The ▁dam ▁was ▁over to pped , ▁er oding ▁the ▁dam ▁surface ▁and ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁bre ach ▁ ▁wide ▁at ▁around ▁ 2   am ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁local ▁time ▁( 7 ▁pm ▁ 2 6 ▁March ▁G MT ). ▁Cra cks ▁were ▁reported ly ▁visible ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁dam ▁emb ank ment ▁from ▁around ▁mid night . ▁The ▁dam ▁operators ▁apparently ▁sound ed ▁a ▁warning ▁sir en ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁dam ▁failed . ▁A