A preliminary investigation of reactivated mass movement near the epicenter of 2005 Kashmir earthquake, NW Himalayas, Pakistan

Kashmir earthquake 2005 induced thousands of mass movements in the affected region of Pakistan. The Panjgran mass movement in the Neelum Valley area, close to the epicenter is one that obstructed the Neelum Valley communication system for many days even after the earthquake. SPOT-5 images and ground investigation were used to analyze the reactivated Panjgran mass movement characteristics. Mass movement travelled 650 m in the direction of north towards the Neelum river and caused severe damage to the Neelum road. Preliminary failure was initiated by the slumping in fractured sandstone of Miocene Murree Formation. While on the detachment zone, the rock fall mass separated from the bed rock, moved down hill and gathered at the bottom of the ridge. The total volume of Panjgran mass movement was estimated approximately 6.75 ×106 m³.The study shows that mass movement is the caused by the pre-existing slump on over steepened slope weakened and undercut by the river and ground shaking due to2005 earthquake of Kashmir.