1974 Hunza earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1974 Hunza Earthquake was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in the rugged and isolated Hunza
, Hazara and Swat
districts of northern Pakistan
at 12:11 UTC on December 28, 1974. The epicentre was located at 35.1 degrees north and 72.9 degrees east. The quake had a shallow focal depth and was followed by numerous aftershocks. An official estimate of the number killed was 5,300 with approximately 17,000 injured. A total of 97,000 were reported affected by the tremor. Most of the destruction was centred around the village of Pattan
, located about 100 miles (160.9 km) north of the capital city of Islamabad
. The village was almost completely destroyed.
The epicental region is characterized by steep-walled narrow canyon
s and valley
s. Most of the population was concentrated along the rivers. Much of the destruction was caused by the numerous landslide
s and rockfall
s which came tumbling down from high above. The main road leading into the area was blocked for about 25 miles (40.2 km) by landslides and rockfalls, hampering relief efforts. The government flew in emergency supplies by helicopter
until the roads were reopened on 13th of January.
The earthquake, which reached MMI
V in Kabul
, Afghanistan
, affected some 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) of the Indus Valley region. Several nations contributed money and supplies to aid the inhabitants of the stricken area.
Hunza Valley
The Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The Hunza valley is situated to the north of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around . The territory of Hunza is about...
, Hazara and Swat
Swat (Pakistan)
Swat is a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, located close to the Afghan-Pakistan border. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range. The capital of Swat is Saidu Sharif, but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora...
districts of northern Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
at 12:11 UTC on December 28, 1974. The epicentre was located at 35.1 degrees north and 72.9 degrees east. The quake had a shallow focal depth and was followed by numerous aftershocks. An official estimate of the number killed was 5,300 with approximately 17,000 injured. A total of 97,000 were reported affected by the tremor. Most of the destruction was centred around the village of Pattan
Pattan, Baramula district
-Geography:Pattan is located at . It has an average elevation of 1553 metres .Pattan is one of the historical capitals of Kashmir, nearly in the centre of the valley of paradise. It is a municipality having a population of 16,320 in 2006. However it may be a town of 40,000 when including its...
, located about 100 miles (160.9 km) north of the capital city of Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
. The village was almost completely destroyed.
The epicental region is characterized by steep-walled narrow canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s and valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s. Most of the population was concentrated along the rivers. Much of the destruction was caused by the numerous landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s and rockfall
Rockfall
Rockfall or rock-fall refers to quantities of rock falling freely from a cliff face. A rockfall is a fragment of rock detached by sliding, toppling, or falling, that falls along a vertical or sub-vertical cliff, proceeds down slope by bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by rolling...
s which came tumbling down from high above. The main road leading into the area was blocked for about 25 miles (40.2 km) by landslides and rockfalls, hampering relief efforts. The government flew in emergency supplies by helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
until the roads were reopened on 13th of January.
The earthquake, which reached MMI
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
V in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, affected some 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) of the Indus Valley region. Several nations contributed money and supplies to aid the inhabitants of the stricken area.
Sources
- Earthquake information Bulletin, March-April 1975, Volume 7, Number 2