30 October 2008
Landslides in the 29th October Pakistan earthquake
Posted by Dave Petley
The picture of the level of destruction in Pakistan resulting from yesterday’s earthquakes remains slightly confused. The official death toll is now 215 people, but some reports suggest that the true number is about 400 as in smaller villages victims were buried before officials arrived. In terms of landslides, the picture is equally confused, but unverified reports indicate the following:
- Some reports suggest that a village called Chali Dam in the Yuni Valley in Ziarat district was hit by a landslide that killed 61 people.
- Relief web reports that some key highways are blocked by landslides.
- The Pakistan news agency Dawn reports that “Most houses in the worst-hit villages of Ziarat were destroyed by boulders falling from mountains” and “He said the earthquake had left cracks in mountains and roads.”
Hopefully the picture will become clearer today.