Late Quaternary terraces and valley development in Chitral, eastern Hindu Kush.

In Late Quaternary time huge sediments have been deposited in the valleys of Chitral in the eastern Hindu Kush. Modification - mostly by fluvial erosion - resulted in impressive terraces. The analysis of theses landforms lead to six different terrace classes: glacial, glacifluvial, fluvial, lacustrine, debris and fan terraces. With reference to the results given by Owen for the Karakoram now one can speak of a predominant terrace system for the high mountains of northern Pakistan. Especially the glacial and fluvial regime gave the valley development its character - in a direct or indirect way. Today an upper, middle and lower terrace can be recognized. They have been formed under different climatic conditions and consist of different sediments.