15 July 2011

News of two (?) valley-blocking landslides

Posted by Dave Petley

News today of two valley-blocking landslides:

First, the old favourite – Attabad in PakistanThe Pamir Times is carrying a story today about the Attabad landslide:

The District Administration of Hunza-Nagar has ordered the hotel owners and transporters to immediately evacuate an area at the Southern end of spillway of the dammed Hunza River, towards Aliabad. According to initial reports the area has been declared vulnerable to landslide.

There are also reports that some cracks have been observed above the KKH, on opposite side of Attabad Village.

According to observers a landslide in the specific area may not have any major impact on spillway of the dammed Hunza River, but it has the potential to cause severe damage to life and property. The evacuation has been ordered as a precaution.

I am slightly unsure as to where this means as the spillway is orientated east-west, and Aliabad, as I understand it, is located about 17 km downstream of the landslide.

Second, according to Inside Costa Rica, an earthquake sequence on Tuesday and Wednesday caused the Guacalito River to dry up.  That sounds worryingly like it could be a valley-blocking landslide.  I hope someone is taking a look.