Climate Crisis Fuels Landslide Surge on Pakistan's 'Tourism Highway'

International Desk, Rtv News

Publish : 29 Nov 2025, 03:33 PM

Collected Photo

A critical joint study by Pakistani and Chinese researchers has linked climate change to a significant rise in non-seismic landslides along Pakistan's scenic yet crucial N-15 highway, which covers Balakot, Babusar Top, Naran and Chilas, often dubbed the 'tourism highway'.

The research team analyzed climate data and 455 satellite images of the route. It recorded 335 non-earthquake-related landslides that occurred between 1990 and 2023, with debris repeatedly blocking the infrastructure.

Scientists followed a three-step research framework to reach their conclusion. First, they collected Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to remotely assess the area.

In the second step, they downloaded Google Earth images to verify the landslide locations and delineate their boundaries.

Finally, the team conducted on-site surveys in areas where the satellite data had indicated potential landslides.

The core finding indicates that the erratic patterns of heat, snowmelt and rising precipitation are destabilizing the mountain slopes. Data confirmed that the frequency of landslides began to rise gradually, with a major surge noted after 2005, corresponding with a documented increase in temperature and rapid snowmelt in the region.

The study found that over 84% of incidents occurred in the warm season (April–October) and over 86% took place on steep slopes (steeper than 40 degree).

Landslide dynamics are different due to the diverse geological makeup of the areas. For instance, Balakot holds sub-tropical conditions where high precipitation (water in the form of ice and rain) is the main cause of landslides.

Area from Babusa Top to Naran is alpine (above the tree-line) where soil moisture and precipitation trigger landslides, while Chilas is a semi-arid region where geological features and heat are the main causes of landslides.

So, the study provides a good understanding of three different climatic-mountain regions for future risk assessment, infrastructure planning, early warning systems and disaster prevention.

BDT 44 Crore Project for Tanguar Haor Wetland Development

Climate Connection to Calamities

Climate change is accelerating landslide risk, particularly since 2005. Rising temperatures increase the rate of snow and ice melt, which thaws frozen ground, thus raising underground water pressure. Simultaneously, erratic changes in rainfall worsen surface runoff and soil saturation. Both processes significantly increase the likelihood of landslides.

Identifying High-Risk Areas (Slippery Slopes)

While local factors like geology, soil type, and moisture play a role, the steepest mountains are the most vulnerable to mudslides. Researchers utilized satellite elevation data (12.5m ALOS PALSAR) and high-resolution Google Earth images (3.4m), validated by field visits, to map risk. This analysis revealed -- Over 86% of incidents occurred on slopes exceeding a 40 degree incline and 65% took place at elevations between 1,000 and 2,500 meters. These specific details are critical for effective disaster planning and early warning systems.

On-Ground Validation and Local Integration

Field visits along the N-15 Highway (August 2022 and April 2023) confirmed satellite-based instability findings, such as damaged infrastructure and displaced debris in areas like Balakot.

Nazir Ahmed Bazai (China Pakistan Joint Research Center) highlighted the need to integrate local knowledge:"Through interviews with locals, we learned how they’ve adapted... by avoiding high-risk areas during the monsoon. However, these community responses are often reactive, not proactive, due to limited resources. Integrating local knowledge with scientific data is crucial for effective early warning systems and building long-term community resilience."

Strategies for Long-Term Resilience

Bazai proposed a combination of 'natural and non-natural' solutions to manage the problem:

Bioengineering: Employing low-cost methods like planting deep-rooted vegetation to stabilize high-risk areas (Balakot and Naran).

Infrastructure: Installing protective barriers and improving drainage systems along the highway to lessen landslide frequency and severity.

Monitoring: Using low-cost sensors for real-time tracking of rainfall, soil moisture and snowmelt, especially near Babusar Pass, to provide timely warnings for both locals and tourists.Education: Enhancing community preparedness through programs focused on evacuation procedures and monitoring tools.

The Fatal Reality and Expert Recommendations

Previous data shows the severity of the threat, with the Global Fatal Landslide Database recording 1,583 deaths from 215 non-seismic landslides in Pakistan between 2004 and 2016.

Dr Melanie Froude emphasizes a crucial three-part framework—'research, regulate, and educate'—to manage these localized geo-hazards:

Research: Understanding how hillslope materials respond to environmental changes is essential for identifying slope instability.

Regulation: Strict enforcement of national guidelines regarding construction methods, building size and foundations in mountainous regions.

Education: Providing accessible, straightforward guidance on low-cost, safe slope engineering (such as maintaining vegetation and proper drainage) to communities that cannot afford technical engineering expertise.

Source: The Express Tribune

Follow google news channel to get RTV news Google News

Related More News

Ferry Movement on Paturia-Daulatdia, Aricha-Kazirhat Ghat Suspended

All ferry movement on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat river routes has been suspended due to poor visibility caused by dense fog over the Padma and Jamuna rivers. Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Paturia Ghat, Abdus Salam, said ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia route were suspended from 12 am, midnight tonight to avoid any untoward incidents. He said during the suspension, three ferries-Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman, Keramat Ali, and Bir Shreshtha Ruhul Amin-are stationed at Paturia Ghat. Meanwhile, five ferries-Shah Mokdum, Language Martyr Shaheed Barkat, Bir Shreshtha Jahangir, Hasna Hena, and Enayetpuri-are waiting at Daulatdia Ghat. Read More Spain to Open Public Buildings as Climate Shelters in Summer In addition, two ferries-Shah Paran and Golam Maula-remain anchored in the middle of the Padma River carrying vehicles and passengers, he added.Meanwhile, Manager of BIWTC Aricha Ghat, Md Abdullah, said ferry services on the Aricha-Kazirhat route have remained suspended since 11:00 pm on Thursday due to dense fog. He said two ferries-Shah Ali and Dhan Siri-are stationed at Kazirhat point, while two others-Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman and Chitra-are anchored in the middle of the Jamuna River. BIWTC officials said ferry operations will resume once visibility improves.

Spain to Open Public Buildings as Climate Shelters in Summer

Heat waves in Spain have become, longer, more intense and deadlier in recent years. A network of climate shelters aims to help save lives. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a plan to set up a climate shelter network on Wednesday. A network of government buildings will be made available to the public by next summer to help protect against the increasingly severe heat waves. The network will build on already existing schemes run in the autonomous regions of Catalonia and the Basque Country. What did Spain's Sanchez Say about the Climate Shelter Network? "Devastating droughts and heat waves are no longer rare," Sanchez said at a climate conference in Madrid. "Some summers, it's not separate waves we face, but one long heat wave stretching from June through August. This is now the new normal." he stressed. "Before next summer, we're going to set up a nationwide network of climate shelters, using government buildings — especially from the central administration — and making them available to everyone," Sanchez added. The prime minister said that the government would also make funds available to set up shelters in the neighborhoods "that need them most, where the heat really hits people the hardest." What is Spain Doing about Climate Change? The network of shelters is one of 80 concrete measures announced by Sanchez at the conference. They were put together after some 4,000 proposals were sent in by citizens, ecologists and scientists. Read More 2025 Set for Second-Hottest Year on Record The measures cover areas such as coastal and marine systems, investments to tackle flooding and fires in villages, and tackling false information on climate change. Sanchez emphasized that 88% of the population considers climate change "a serious problem that we have to act on," including voters from all sides of the political spectrum, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported. During the conference, the Spanish prime minister also fired off criticism of the EU's decision to weaken its 2035 ban on petrol and diesel cars, calling it a "historic mistake." Climate change, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, is already having major impacts on the planet and making life more difficult in many regions, including in Europe, where longer and more intense heat waves, wildfires and droughts are becoming the norm.

2025 Set for Second-Hottest Year on Record

This year is expected to match 2023 as one of the warmest on record, second only to 2024, EU scientists warn. They cite greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels as the main cause of global warming. The year 2025 is expected to rank as the second-warmest on record on record, alongside 2023, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), second only to 2024's record-breaking temperatures. If confirmed, this would mark the first time global average temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius for three consecutive years since humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale during the 1850–1900 pre-industrial period, C3S said. C3S records date back to 1940 and are compared with global temperature data that began in 1850. These record-breaking temperatures underscore the challenge of meeting international climate goals. Paris Agreement and UN Warning Countries pledged to limit global warming to 1.5°C under the 2015 Paris climate agreement to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change. The UN has said this goal is no longer realistic and urged nations worldwide to accelerate efforts to cut CO2 emissions. Read More Israel Linked to Nearly Half of 2025 Journalist Deaths Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are the primary driver of global warming. Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at C3S, said the milestones "reflect the acceleration pace of climate change." "The only way to mitigate future rising temperatures is to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions." Third-warmest November on Record Last month, governments failed to agree on substantial new measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, even as the US and other countries scaled back efforts to cut CO2. Many regions around the world were hit this year by extreme weather disasters, including the Philippines, Spain, Greece, and Indonesia, causing thousands of deaths. The World Meteorological Organization said earlier this year that the past 10 years were the warmest since records began. November 2025 recorded an average global temperature of 14.02°C, making it the third-warmest November ever measured — 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels and well above the 20th-century average of about 13.7°C. The Arctic Ocean saw exceptionally high readings, while Europe experienced its fifth-warmest November on record. This autumn in Europe ranks among the four warmest on record.

Surface Water Conservation Crucial to Mitigate Barind Water Crisis: Experts

Surface water conservation is of the essence of mitigating the water crisis, which is being deepened due to the deficit of rainfall, in the region, including its vast Barind tract. The groundwater level in the region is falling drastically due to indiscriminate extraction of water, mainly for irrigation purposes. Indiscriminate lifting of groundwater and use of pesticides in crop fields have increased alarmingly, especially over the past 20 years. Talking to BSS here on Monday, Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan said the present interim government has recently published a gazette declaring 4,911 villages in 25 upazilas under Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts as water-stressed. As per the decision of the 18th meeting of the National Water Resources Council (NWRC), the area has been declared water-stressed for 10 years. Restrictions have been imposed on the extraction of underground water for any other purposes, excluding only drinking water. Quoting the gazette notification Prof Sarwar Jahan, who teaches at the department of geology and mining at Rajshahi University, said no more extracted water will be used for irrigation and other industrial purposes in the restricted area. To mitigate the water crisis, he attributed that surface water resources must be enriched. Water from the Padma River needs to be introduced into the Barind area for irrigation purposes. Rainwater harvesting and conservation are of essence at present. He also opined that leasing of government ponds, canals, beels and wetlands should be stopped, and the water of those should remain open for agricultural purposes. Simultaneously, less water-consuming crops should be promoted on a large scale. Read More Climate Crisis Fuels Landslide Surge on Pakistan's 'Tourism Highway' Development activist Jahangir Alam Khan told BSS that there are around 10,000 ponds, 200 canals and ten other large waterbodies in the barind areas, including Beelbhatia, a vast water body and wetland of around 6,388 acres, at Bholahat upazila in Chapainawabganj. Tens of thousands of hectares of farmland can be irrigated round the year through using the conserved water of the beel if it is re-excavated. There is another four to five kilometer long water body at Rohanpur in Gomastapur upazila of the same district. If it is re-excavated, around 10,000 hectares of land of 25,000 farmers can be brought under surface water irrigation. Apart from this, the two-kilometer Chowdala-Boalia canal remained in a derelict condition for a long time. Around 150 hectares of farmland can be irrigated with water from the canal if it is renovated. Transformation of all the existing underground water-based irrigation into surface water ones can be crucial in lessening the gradually mounting pressure on groundwater. Khan said that the gradually declining water resources are posing a serious threat to the living and livelihood conditions of the marginalized and other low-income group families in the water-stressed area. He, however, said rainwater harvesting can be indispensable for easing living and livelihood conditions of people through mitigating the water crises in the Barind area. Time has come to extend necessary knowledge and devices to the communities to make them capable of availing the opportunities of rainwater harvesting technologies. Conventionally, surface water promotion in the Barind region focuses on mitigating groundwater depletion aiming to provide irrigation for crops like wheat and pulses, improve domestic water supply, enhance livelihoods, and build climate resilience through water conservation and efficient use. Jahangir Khan said key initiatives involve large-scale pond re-excavation, canal renovation, and promoting water-efficient farming, with goals to shift irrigation reliance from groundwater to these surface sources.

BDT 44 Crore Project for Tanguar Haor Wetland Development

The Department of Environment is set to implement a BDT 44 crore project aimed at developing the wetlands of Tanguar Haor, one of Bangladesh’s largest freshwater reservoirs. Funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the project will run until 2029 and focus on ecological restoration, habitat development, and community-based conservation. Project Director Shaheda Begum shared the details at a workshop on the Community Based Management of Tanguar Haor Wetland Ecosystem Project. She said the initiative includes creating 800 hectares of bird habitat, restoring 400 hectares of wetland and 300 hectares of reed beds, and carrying out restoration work on 20 hectares of beel areas. Local communities will receive training and be actively involved in protecting the haor. A consulting firm will also be appointed to design and implement the wetland development activities. Deputy Commissioner Dr. Mohammad Elias Mia emphasized community participation, stating that sustainable protection of Tanguar Haor is impossible through government efforts alone. He said that the haor’s environment and resources are deteriorating over time, and urged that residents who depend on the haor—especially fishermen and farmers—must have secure livelihood opportunities to ensure their engagement in conservation. Meanwhile, the government has expanded the jurisdiction of the Tanguar Haor Protection Order to include four unions across Madhyanagar and Tahirpur upazilas: Banshikunda North, Banshikunda South, Sreepur (South), and Sreepur (North). These unions cover Mouzas including Tanguar Haor, Moazzempur, Kismat Mendata, Jagadishpur, Lamagaon, and Rangachhara East. The update was confirmed in a notification signed by Mohammad Lutfur Rahman, Director General of the Water Resources Planning Agency under the Ministry of Water Resources. The notification outlines responsibilities for committees overseeing Tanguar and Hakaluki haor management, along with short-term (2 years), medium-term (5 years), and long-term (10 years) plans. A 10-member committee has been formed to implement and monitor conservation activities, with the Deputy Commissioner serving as chair. Members include the Deputy Director of the Haor and Wetland Development Department (Member Secretary), the District Police Superintendent, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, District Fisheries Officer, Executive Engineer of the Water Development Board, Divisional Forest Officer, concerned Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment, and one representative from local environmental or haor-related organizations. The new project is expected to strengthen ecological protection, improve local livelihoods and ensure long-term conservation of Tanguar Haor’s unique wetland ecosystem.