Hunza landslide (Hunza Bergrutsch) - Pakistan 03'2010
Within the FP7 SAFER framework geomer supported the effected region by delivering some hydrological and hydraulic calculations.
Download the Official Hunza dam project report (.pdf)
The background has been a landslide occurred on January 4th that blocked the Hunza River and thereby formed a reservoir that is constantly being filled. The so formed dam is expected to fail latest when overtopping. A lot of effort is being spent to lower the dam and thereby reduce the volume of the flood wave resulting from the expected failure.
First product being delivered was an Excel based tool to perform updated calculations of the lake outburst date and the volume of the lake.
Secondly a simulation of the failure scenario was run, delivering an inundation map for a time sequence of every 15 minutes.
Some user comments on the products:
„… very grateful to SAFER, geomer, Infoterra Germany & UK, and RapidEye for their technical support for hydrological modelling and production of various maps for dam breach scenario.“
Mujeeb Alam, Focus Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan, 30.03.2010
“We're most grateful to everyone in the SAFER project team and at other organisations for their continuing help in this crisis response.”
Nick McWilliam, GIS Coordinator, MapAction, 30.03.2010
„… Being able to give them frequently updated estimates of the over-toping date will help them to understand the increasing level of danger and will help convince them to heed the warning and evacuation advice. The forecast will also help us to time the pre-positioning of food supplies in the areas that will be cut off by destruction of the many bridges on the Karakoram highway (KKH) and linking the KKH to side valleys …“
„…this very helpful tool …“
Dilshad Bano, GIS Officer, Focus Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan, 23.03.2010