Domeshi Village: Another Victim of Climate Change

Another devastating example of destruction caused by heavy monsoon rains in Muzaffarabad, AJK

Once again, the land in the village of Domeshi, located in the Patreend Union Council of Muzaffarabad, AJK, began to shift. As a result, many families were displaced, individuals lost their lifelong earnings and productive land, and dozens of houses sustained severe damage, leaving at least a hundred people homeless.

The devastating landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall, but fortunately, no Casualties were reported. Thanks to The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) promptly initiated a rescue and relief operation following the incident. They provided essential supplies such as food, tents, and necessities to those affectees. However, the land continued to slide even after 12 hours had passed since the initial incident.

The Preliminary Assessment (PA) report by the Institute of Geology at the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Muzaffarabad, showed the significant impact of the landslide. It stretched about 500 meters from crown to river, measuring 360 meters long and 200 meters wide. Access is mainly through Kohala Road via a link road passing Ambore and Domeshi Bridge. Initial observations revealed the destruction of 12 houses, cultivated land, a metaled road, properties, and scattered uprooted trees in the affected area.

This is not the first instance of danger and displacement caused by landslides in the area. In fact, such events have been ongoing since August 2015. Regrettably, the state has been unable to effectively mitigate these issues, and the recent weather patterns are exacerbating the situation. Unusual weather occurrences, including houses being swept away by monsoon rains and land being transformed into mud due to torrential rains, have become distressingly common. Recent rains have led to widespread destruction, posing a serious threat to lives in some areas.

 Geologists attribute the landslide to the abnormally rapid and excessive monsoon rains. They express concern over multiple events in the region causing damage. While these events may be triggered by rainfall, their root cause lies in the broader context of negative climate change impacts. Notably, the Hazara and Murree formations in the region are more susceptible than other parts of the country. The intensifying force of rainfall, even within short spells of 15 to 20 minutes, saturates the soil base rapidly, rendering it incapable of effective drainage. This saturation leads to mudflows and subsequent landslides.

The region is wrestling with ongoing landslides along roadsides, some of which Threaten human settlements. The most devastating form of landslide is a rainfall-induced mudflow, exacerbated by the relentless force of heavy rainfall. Geologists emphasize that all these factors are interconnected with climate change. Previously, the distribution and strength of rainfall were different, resulting in less damage. However, the current scenario involves concentrated heavy rainfall in specific areas, triggering events like landslides, detachments, and mudflows. Even cloud bursts have become alarmingly frequent, signaling a new norm in the region. All these changes can be attributed to the effects of climate change.

Shafque Abbasi, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of the AJK government, highlights the primary factors contributing to the Domeshi area landslide, including the active Jhelum Fault, contrasting lithological units, and steep slope angles exceeding 45 degrees. Secondary factors include prolonged, intense, and excessive rainfall in July, coupled with a lack of adherence to proper land use planning. This catastrophe has severe implications for both the social and biophysical environments, resulting in socio-economic consequences for affected individuals, as well as irreparable damage to valuable environmental resources such as fertile land, vegetation cover, and trees.

If the situation worsens and the entire degraded landmass collapses into the river, it could block the river flow and create a dam-like obstruction upstream. This could lead to further landslides upstream and potentially result in flooding downstream, affecting river ecosystems, communication infrastructure, and housing along the riverbanks. Given the geological formations, terrain, topography, and seismic activity due to the active fault line, the Domeshi landslide should serve as a warning of potential similar disasters in the upper reaches. These areas, characterized by steep slopes and primarily soil-based construction, lack proper sewage systems, leading to soil saturation and increased vulnerability to landslides. With climate change altering weather patterns, more extensive and prolonged rains are anticipated, amplifying the risk of such landslides. An urgent study is needed to assess potential landslide-prone areas with similar terrain, gradient, and geological formations.

He further said that the immediate environmental consequences of such landslides encompass loss of vegetation cover, diminished carbon sinks, visual amenity degradation, soil erosion, and river sedimentation. Ultimately, these factors decrease the water-holding capacity of reservoirs like Mangla Dam.

Domeshi landslide emphasizes the urgent need for global cooperation on climate change. Agencies must reduce emissions, promote sustainability, invest in renewable energy, and support adaptation to protect regions and communities.