The document summarizes the Attabad landslide disaster that occurred in Pakistan in 2010. A massive landslide buried the village of Attabad, killing 20 people. It dammed the Hunza River, forming a 100m deep lake and submerging 381 additional houses. The landslide was likely triggered by earthquakes in the region over previous years that weakened the slope's shear strength through fracturing and weathering of glacial deposits. The complex geology and tectonics of the area, including major thrust faults, contributed to the landslide risk.

1. ATTABAD LANDSLIDE-
DAM DISASTER IN
PAKISTAN 2010
Presented By: Junaid ur rehman
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY
ABDUL WALI KHAN UNIVERSITY MARDAN

2. ATTABAD LANDSLIDE
• On January 4, 2010, in the remote Hunza Valley of Northern Pakistan
a massive landslide buried the village of Attabad, destroyed 26
houses and killed 20 people.
• The landslide dammed Hunza River and formed an extensive lake of
100m depth.
• Until the end of July 2010, 381 houses were ruined; out of which
141 were directly affected by Attabad landslide, others were
submerged due to expansion of the lake.

4. landslide on January 22, 2010 at Attabad (image courtesy
PAMIRTIMES)

5. GEOLOGY & TECTONICS OF THE AREA
• The Northern areas are one of the most complex and difficult terrain in the
world.
• On the basis of regional tectonic set up, the Main Karakoram Thrust (MKT)
and Main Mantle Thrust (MMT) are the major tectonic features and these
mega-shears may affect the Attabad area during any seismic activity.
• The destroyed Attabad village was located on valley slope of glacio-fluvial
deposits.
• Glacio fluvial deposits forming the site of Attabad village consist of
boulders, cobbles and gravels with some silt and sand as cementing
materials.

6. • The rocks exposed at crown and toe are highly fractured, sheared, jointed and
weathered. A fault on the eastern side of the village is passing through Hunza
River trending almost North-South.

7. PRE-DISASTER PERIOD
Attabad village has been affected by very complex slope conditions due
to:
Denudation process.
Effect of seismic activity.
High slope angle.
River cutting.
Lithological conditions, snow melt, rains.
And heavy overburden on bed rock in the form of glacio-fluvial
deposits.

8. TRIGGERING BY EARTHQUAKES
1. In 2002 Astore earthquake of magnitude 6.3 was recorded as one of the major
triggering factor.
2. The second major displacement was observed in 2004, when the cracks
extended longitudinally and transverse into the cultivated fields and populated
areas of Attabad and surface failure features appeared at the toe of the
affected area.
3. The 2005 Kashmir earthquake of magnitude 7.6 accelerated the slope
movement and networks of cracks destroyed several houses.
4. A fault is passing through the affected area having a strike NS and crossing the
river. A huge landslide has developed across the river. This landslide is
associated with the fault.
5. The movement along this fault has weakened the shearing strength of the
rocks and decreased the angle of repose.

9. Site of Attabad landslide in pre-disaster period (August 2009)