Researchers from the Geomorphology and Paleogeography Laboratory, as well as the Landscape Studies and Landscape Planning Laboratory of the Institute of Geography under the Ministry of Science and Education, conducted investigations in the Qusar and Quba districts into the consequences of landslides and flood events caused by intensive precipitation in late March and early April.

Institute researcher, PhD in Geography and Associate Professor Stara Tarikhazar, told AZERTAC that the studies revealed serious damage in several villages of the Qusar district. Roads in the villages were washed away by floodwaters and became unusable. Bridges in Suvajal, Gunduzgala, Anig, and Mujug villages were also left in unusable condition.

In addition, part of an old inactive mosque in Anigoba village collapsed. A mill located on the bank of the Ukur River in Hazra village was affected by floodwaters. In Qukhuroba village, 200 hectares of agricultural land and orchards were flooded, while in Zukhul village, more than 50 hectares were submerged.

“There are favorable natural conditions for the development of exodynamic processes in the Quba–Qusar zone. The formation of landslide, landslide-rockfall, and rockfall-origin relief forms is associated with the differential nature of neotectonic movements and the predominance of clay-rich rocks. In the middle mountainous zone, these processes begin east of the watershed between the Gudyalchay and Garachay rivers, extending to Gonagkend and covering the Sokhub–Yerfin depression. In the arid low-mountain zone, landslides have developed in the Afurja–Shurabad belt,” the scientist said.