Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: September 09, 2022 | 
| 中文
A city drowned by excessive rains and floods
Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions and yet fifth on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to Global Climate Risk Index for 2020. However, ironically enough, the threat of climate change is not a popular topic either for the media or of our policymakers. The latter being consumed with power politics, instead of the serious challenges that face the nation: an uncontrolled population growth, a dismal education and health system and the challenge of the climate change and how to prepare for it. While governments come and go, there has not been any serious planning for this kind of eventuality, where 33 million of our people have been swept away and lost their homes.
A road has been disrupted by rain water
Climate change is real and the way it has unfolded its wrath in Pakistan should be a cause for concern for all the developed as well as the developing nations. Efforts and investments for sustainable and wholesome well-being of the human race shall remain a distant dream unless all nations take equitable responsibility for the consequences of the unbridled footprint of man on our planet.
This monsoon season, climate change manifested in its worst form in Pakistan. According to NASA’s earth observatory, “Since mid-June 2022, Pakistan has been drenched by extreme monsoon rains that have led to the country’s worst flooding in a decade. The worst flooding occurred along the Indus River in the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh. The provinces of Balochistan and Sindh have so far this year received five to six times their 30-year average rainfall.” According to some estimates, it rained 1,500mm in areas where the average used to be 20-30mm. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN rightly said in an appeal seeking assistance for Pakistan, “Let us stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it is Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.”
Pakistani men cross the flooded area in Rajanpur. (Picture credits to Asim Tanveer)
According to a recent report (September 2, 2022) of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the flood situation in Pakistan, “Over 287,000 houses have been destroyed and over 662,000 partially damaged. Livelihoods are also being heavily impacted – more than 719,000 livestock – a critical source of sustenance and livelihoods for many families – have died, of which some 69 percent are in Balochistan and 28 percent in Punjab. Around 2 million acres of crops and orchards have also been affected to date, of which 304,475 acres are in Balochistan, 178,186 acres in Punjab, and around 1.54 million acres in Sindh. The humanitarian situation is being compounded by severe impacts on infrastructure. Damage to nearly 3,500 km of roads and 149 bridges has impeded the ability of people to flee to safer areas.”
A woman stands outside her derelict house in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The government estimates that the lives of over 33 million people have been impacted; 6 times more internally displaced than in the Ukraine war and more than the entire population of Australia. At least 1,325 precious human lives have been lost. 110 out of 160 districts of the country have been impacted; an area almost the size of the United Kingdom. Estimates of loss caused by rain and flooding stand around USD 10 billion. Visuals coming from flood-affected areas are heart-wrenching with families mourning for lost loved ones and livelihoods. 14 major highways connecting the country’s main logistics hubs were cut off with the full extent of damage to other infrastructures such as schools, health facilities, electricity distribution and telecommunication networks yet to be ascertained. Initial estimates suggest a requirement of USD 160.3 million to restore the damaged infrastructure.
Displaced people float belongings in the outskirts of Peshawar. (Pictures credits to Muhammad Sajjad)
“Effect of monsoon rains has been compounded by the continued melting of Pakistan’s 7,000 glaciers. Pakistan holds the most glacial ice found outside the polar regions. Climate warming and recent heat waves have precipitated several glacial-outburst floods. In the rugged northern part of the country, combined rain and meltwater has turned slopes into hill torrents,” notes NASA.
On August 30, the Pakistani government declared a national emergency and rolled out immediate rescue and relief efforts. The government’s efforts have been supported by the Pakistani nation with people, civil society, youth, student groups, and humanitarian organizations stepping forward to complement the relief work with characteristic generosity and philanthropic spirit. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities, paramilitary forces, police forces, and line agencies such as health systems, agriculture, and irrigation departments have been making concerted efforts to manage the deluge, minimize its impact, and provide relief to the impacted population. The Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022 has been established to facilitate people all over the country and overseas to contribute to the flood relief efforts. Global aid in the form of tents, food, and medicine has started to arrive from China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. The European Union and the United States have also pledged financial support to respond to the floods.
To tackle the challenge of this unprecedented climate catastrophe, teams of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and Pakistan Navy (PN) are at the forefront of rescue and relief operations. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on September 2, 2022, over 363 helicopter sorties have been flown in various areas of Pakistan to evacuate stranded people and also transport rations and medicines. 162.6 tons of relief items were delivered by Pakistan Army to the flood-affected people and more than 50,000 individuals have been shifted to safer locations from calamity-hit areas.
Pakistan Air Force's camp for floods relief operations
Joining the efforts of the general public and many NGOs to disperse relief items to the affected population, Pakistan Army established more than 220 relief camps that are functional round the clock. Health camps established by Pakistan Armed Forces have treated and provided free medicines to more than 60,000 patients so far. “The safety and wellbeing of our countrymen come first and we won’t rest until each one of flood affected is not only reached but rehabilitated, no matter how much effort is required. The people of Pakistan are our priority and we won’t spare any effort to assist them in this difficult time”, said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in an official statement. “Unprecedented rains have caused devastation to human life and communication infrastructure, especially in Balochistan. Army resources must be utilized to help the affected population and restore critical communication infrastructure. Pakistan Army stands with the flood-affected population in this difficult testing time and shall undertake this assistance effort as a national obligation,” he added.
Pakistan Army rescuing flood affected people
It is feared that the flooded communities may suffer due to outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, cholera, and diarrhea. According to UN Population Fund (UNFPA), at least 650,000 pregnant women in the flood-affected areas, of whom 73,000 are expected to deliver next month, are in dire need of maternal health services. These challenges, against the backdrop of an already stressed and fractured health delivery system, pose a grave health concern. It is crucial to remain steadfast and continue the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts with the same dedication once the initial stage of the disaster is over.
It is also important to understand the implications of the accelerated pace with which climate change is having its impacts. If we remain unaware of how manmade interventions are destroying the ecological balance, then natural disasters will continue to occur with increasing frequency.
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