The country is currently experiencing a devastating monsoon spell, with heavy rains wreaking havoc in Sindh and Balochistan. Sukkur has recorded the highest rainfall in 77 years, with 300 millimeters of rain in just 24 hours inundating the city. Areas such as Khairpur, Larkana, Mohenjo-Daro, Rohri, Jacobabad, and Dadu are also severely affected by the heavy rains. In Balochistan, flash floods have caused destruction in Mastung, with swift waters washing away roads, destroying bridges, and devastating apple and grape orchards.
In Sukkur, Sindh’s third-largest city, the intensity of the rains has caused severe damage to infrastructure, turning the city into a lake. The poor drainage system has cast doubt on the performance of urban authorities, and the victims are depicted as a picture of sorrow and helplessness. To understand urban flooding, it’s important to know when it occurs. Urban flooding happens when intense and continuous rainfall over a short period overwhelms the city’s drainage capacity.
Several factors contribute to this situation. Heavy rain over a short period fills the soil with water, leading to increased surface runoff. Settlements or other constructions on riverbanks and floodplains are also contributing factors. Moreover, encroachments on drains, dumping of garbage and waste in drains, and lack of open spaces, playgrounds, and parks contribute to urban flooding. This scenario is currently evident in Sukkur, and if a severe spell of rain hits Karachi, the city may again face urban flooding as in the past. There are still no clear measures from provincial and municipal administrations to mitigate the effects of urban flooding and rainfall.
Flooding occurs every monsoon season in Pakistan, and experts suggest that a devastating flood comes approximately every five years. While government aid for victims remains inadequate, there is a clear lack of a comprehensive strategy to deal with such floods and rainfall resulting from global environmental changes. Experts warn that the government has not formulated an appropriate strategy for water storage and flood prevention, and climatic changes have led to both severe flooding and droughts.
The brunt of this falls on poor farmers, who, due to the low value of their land, are forced to live in flood-prone areas and suffer annually due to floods. The government seems to have no plans beyond claims and reports to protect these poor farmers. Climate change has increased the likelihood of natural disasters. The government claims to be working on coordinated policy-making to address this challenge, but every year, millions of cubic meters of water, countless livelihoods, and living conditions are lost to rivers.
Japan frequently experiences earthquakes and the U.S. faces hurricanes annually, yet due to prior preparations, they do not suffer excessive loss of life or unbearable financial damage. We need similar preparations, but the problem is that we are so entangled in political issues that we have no time to address other concerns. May Allah prevent floods, but when a poor person sees all their savings and possessions swept away by floods, and their family is left without food and shelter under the open sky, they turn to the rulers in hope of mercy and aid. Floods and their impacts disrupt communications, making it difficult to know the plight of people in remote areas or provide them with aid.
When it rains in Pakistan, it naturally rains in India and occupied Jammu and Kashmir as well, since it’s the monsoon season. After the release of excess water from India, there was also a risk of high-level flooding in the Chenab River. Flood relief camps were set up in some areas, but more measures were needed. Areas in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also affected by rain-induced floods.
In Balochistan, floodwaters have washed away roads, making it impossible to reach affected areas, and the transportation of fruits and vegetables from rural areas to large cities has been suspended, causing significant losses to farmers.
Pakistan’s disaster management is not effectively executing its functions and strategies. Natural disasters spread diseases, particularly skin conditions. The supply and delivery of food items become crucial. The effects of natural disasters in Pakistan are long-lasting, and the recovery process is slow. Floods, earthquakes, droughts, storms, and unexpected accidents undoubtedly impact normal life. While preventing natural disasters is not possible, individual and collective actions are needed for recovery.
Research and study of rainfall and flood patterns considering climate and environmental changes are urgently needed. Immediate planning for water storage and flow control is essential. This way, we can store water during ample availability and use it during dry seasons. We should not wait for a disaster to occur before taking action. We must always be prepared with the necessary resources and plans for timely assistance to affected individuals.
Public preparedness and awareness are crucial so people can play their role in rescuing themselves and others during disasters. By taking preventive measures and precautions, the damages from disasters and accidents can be minimized, and our planning should ensure that aid operations specifically protect women, the elderly, children, disabled individuals, and infrastructure from damage.
Comprehensive planning for floods and other natural disasters is essential. If a large dam can help prevent floods, planning for it should be undertaken. Those who wish to help fellow citizens in difficulty also face uncertainty about whether their donations or resources might fall into “wrong hands.” Unfortunately, the tendency to exploit ordinary citizens’ hardships for political gain is prevalent at all levels.
At such times, the visible cracks in national unity not only create difficulties in recovery efforts but also increase public distress and uncertainty. The responsibility now falls not only on federal rulers and other government officials but also on provincial and central authorities to work together to help the nation out of this crisis.
The government needs to modernize the meteorological department to provide accurate forecasts of weather conditions. If severe rainfall is predicted, timely evacuation of people and livestock from flood-prone areas should be carried out without waiting for the floods to arrive.
Relief camps should be established for flood victims so that those unable to reach the affected areas due to their commitments can send their funds and supplies to these camps, from where the collected items can be distributed under the supervision of authorities. It is crucial to maintain transparency throughout this process to ensure that aid reaches those who genuinely need it.