easy essay on flood in pakistan

Essay on Floods in Pakistan for Matric, FA, FSC, BA and BSC

Essay on floods in pakistan for the students of matric, fa, fsc, 2nd year, intermediate, ba and bsc.

Here is an essay on Floods in Pakistan for students of Class 10, Class 12 and graduation. Pakistan is a developing country and floods in it are not unusual. This essay will discuss the reason of floods in Pakistan. You can write the same essay under the title Floods in Pakistan essay, Essay on Flood, an essay on flood, an essay on flood disaster.

Floods in Pakistan Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation

The recent floods in Pakistan were a calamity. They visit our country quite frequently. We live in the modern age, which is remarkable for its scientific advancement but man has failed to overcome floods completely. However, we can set aside the adverse results of the floods to some extent. Floods destroy everything which man achieves after a struggle of many years. They are a horrible thing. They destroy houses and buildings. They uproot the electric and telephone poles. They render thousands of people homeless.

In Punjab, the recent floods played a havoc unknown in history. Almost, all the rivers overflowed their banks and destroyed everything. The villages of Lahore, Dera Gazi Khan, Jhang, Multan and Sargodha were submerged in water. People saved their lives by climbing up the trees. The villagers were sleeping in their homes when the water of the flooding river entered their homes and caused an alarm. They were caught unawares. They rushed out of their homes without taking with them their goods and articles of the house. Epidemics broke out in the villages. Crops were destroyed. Fertile land turned barren and dry. The whole system of communication was paralysed for many days. People saved their lives by swimming in the Water. Many of them climbed up the trees. The army was called in. It was due to the sincere and dedicated efforts of the young men of the army that the lives of many flood affectees were saved. The entire machinery of Government tried its best to set aside the adverse effects of the flood. Relief centres were set up in every town, city and capital. The rich and well-to-date people came forward to help their affected brothers. The causes of the flood are many.

First, they are caused by heavy rainfall in monsoons.

Secondly, the snow on the hills begins to melt in the summer heat. The rivers get swollen. When this continues for some time, the waters rise beyond the banks of the rivers and overspread the neighbouring ground.

Thirdly, the beds of the river are not very deep. That is why they overflow very soon.

Fourthly, all the rivers of Pakistan enter our territory from India. India controls all the rivers. She has made many dams on these rivers. She lets loose a huge quantity of water into our rivers out of revenge. This cannot be controlled by our own efforts unless India cooperates with us.

Last year, l witnessed the scene of a flood in my village. The river Ravi which flows by a village was in flood. It had been raining ceaselessly for over a week. Away on the hills, it had been raining for almost a month. The terrible day came. The river Ravi overflowed its banks and there was water everywhere. There was every fear that our village would be washed away. We brought out cattle to the verandah for safety. We went to bed, but could not sleep for fear of being washed away.

The rain stopped at night. The creaking of frogs, the cries of the cattle and the shouts of men filled the air with fright. A chill wind was blowing. Our courtyard was filled with water. It was almost knee-deep. The water was still rising. Our cattle were drowned in the water. We managed to climb up the trees and stayed there for twenty-four hours. We saved our lives with great difficulty. We spent a very difficult and uncomfortable time there. The helicopters of the army reached us and took us away to a relief centre. We spent there many days and nights in the open. After eight days, the news was brought that the water of the river had gone low considerably. We came to our village and built our house again. We had a serious financial loss in our life. Our cattle and crops were taken away by the floods. We cannot forget the terrible time we had while this flood.

essay on Floods in Pakistan is important for Pakistani students. However, you should check Essay on Beauties of Nature .

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Floods in Pakistan Essay: Causes and Prevention

by Pakiology | Aug 19, 2024 | Essay , English | 0 comments

Get a comprehensive understanding of the devastating effects of floods in Pakistan through this in-depth Floods In Pakistan Essay. Learn about the causes, prevention, and role of government in addressing this issue.

Here are two perfect essays on floods in Pakistan. It is a hot topic right now. It is very possible that your examiner will target this topic for your upcoming exam. So prepare these essays very well.

Page Contents

800 Words Essay on Floods In Pakistan With Quotations

Impacts of floods in pakistan, mitigating the adverse effects of floods in pakistan, 400 words essay on floods in pakistan.

Pakistan experiences devastating floods every year, causing loss of life and property. Despite being a common disaster in the country, the impact of floods remains devastating. In this article, we delve into the causes and impacts of floods in Pakistan and explore ways to mitigate their adverse effects.

What Causes Floods in Pakistan?

Monsoon rainfall:.

Pakistan’s location in the monsoon region makes it susceptible to heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, which can cause widespread flooding. This is because heavy downpours in a short period of time can overwhelm the drainage systems, causing water to overflow into low-lying areas and causing widespread damage. Additionally, the country’s topography, with its mountain ranges, valleys, and plains, also exacerbates the problem by channeling the water into narrow channels and causing flash floods.

Glacial Melt:

The Himalayan glaciers, located in northern Pakistan, are melting at an alarming rate, which contributes to the country’s flood problem. The melting of these glaciers increases the volume of water in rivers and streams, causing them to overflow their banks and result in widespread flooding. The problem is further exacerbated by the rapid rate at which the glaciers are melting, which results in a large amount of water being released into rivers and streams all at once, leading to a sudden increase in the water levels and causing flash floods.

Poor Drainage System:

The inadequate drainage system in Pakistan is a major cause of floods. The poor design of the drainage channels and the rampant illegal construction in the country can result in blockages and obstructions, which can cause water to back up and overflow into surrounding areas, resulting in widespread flooding. Additionally, the illegal construction of buildings and infrastructure in flood-prone areas can also exacerbate the problem by blocking the flow of water and causing water to accumulate in low-lying areas.

Deforestation:

The rapid deforestation in Pakistan is also contributing to the frequency and intensity of floods in the country. Trees play a crucial role in retaining water and reducing runoff, and their loss can lead to increased runoff and flooding. Deforestation also reduces the amount of vegetation that can absorb water, leading to a more rapid runoff of water into rivers and streams and causing them to overflow their banks and result in widespread flooding.

Loss of Life and Property:

Floods in Pakistan have a devastating impact on human lives, often resulting in the loss of lives and widespread damage to property and infrastructure, especially in rural areas where residents have limited access to resources and support. The destruction of homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals can have long-lasting effects on communities, displacing families and causing widespread poverty and homelessness.

Health Crises:

Floods in Pakistan can pose a serious threat to public health, spreading waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and malaria. With contaminated water sources, the risk of water-borne illnesses increases, putting the lives of millions of people at risk, especially in areas where there are limited healthcare facilities.

Agricultural Disruption:

The agricultural sector, which is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, is often severely impacted by floods, damaging crops and reducing soil fertility. This can have a significant impact on food security, leading to food shortages and increased prices, affecting the livelihoods of millions of farmers and their families.

Economic Losses:

In addition to the loss of human lives, floods in Pakistan can result in massive economic losses, particularly for small businesses and farmers. The destruction of infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and transportation systems, can disrupt trade and commerce, causing significant financial losses for businesses.

Improved Drainage System:

To prevent blockages and reduce the risk of floods, the drainage system in Pakistan must be improved. This can include upgrading existing channels, constructing new ones, and ensuring proper maintenance to prevent blockages.

Afforestation:

The government should launch a massive afforestation drive to restore tree cover, which can help to reduce runoff and prevent floods. By planting trees, the government can mitigate the effects of floods and provide a long-term solution to protect communities from the adverse impacts of floods.

Strict Construction Regulations:

To prevent illegal construction and blockages, strict construction regulations must be enforced. This can include implementing fines and penalties for violators and providing support to local authorities to enforce these regulations.

Flood Early Warning System:

To ensure timely evacuation and advance warning, an effective flood early warning system should be in place. This can include installing early warning systems, such as flood gauges and weather monitoring systems, to provide real-time information to communities, allowing them to evacuate and prepare in advance.

In conclusion, floods are a recurring problem in Pakistan, causing widespread damage to life and property. By addressing the root causes and implementing measures to enhance the country’s preparedness and response mechanisms, we can reduce the frequency and intensity of floods in Pakistan and ensure a safer and more sustainable future for all

Floods in Pakistan have been a major natural disaster for the country. They are caused by heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, as well as by melting snow from the Himalayas. These floods can cause widespread destruction, including damage to homes, infrastructure, and crops.

The 2022 floods in Pakistan were particularly severe, affecting more than 33 million people and causing billions of dollars in damage. The floods affected large areas of the country, including the Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers caused widespread destruction, including damage to homes, roads, and crops.

The impact of floods on Pakistan can be devastating. In addition to the physical damage caused by floods, they can also have a significant economic impact. Floods can destroy crops and damage infrastructure, leading to a loss of income for farmers and businesses. They can also disrupt transportation and communication networks, making it difficult for people to access essential goods and services.

The government of Pakistan has taken steps to try to prevent and mitigate the effects of floods. This includes building dams and other infrastructure to control the flow of water, as well as providing support to affected communities. However, much more needs to be done to address the issue of floods in Pakistan.

As I mentioned earlier, the government of Pakistan has taken steps to try to prevent and mitigate the effects of floods. This includes building dams and other infrastructure to control the flow of water, as well as providing support to affected communities.

However, there are also other measures that can be taken to reduce the impact of floods in Pakistan. For example, improving drainage systems and increasing vegetation in flood-prone areas can help to absorb excess water and reduce the risk of flooding. In addition, educating communities about the risks of floods and how to prepare for them can help to reduce the loss of life and property.

It is also important for the government to work with international organizations and other countries to develop more effective strategies for dealing with floods. This could include sharing information and expertise, as well as providing financial and technical assistance. By working together, it may be possible to reduce the impact of floods in Pakistan and protect communities from the devastating effects of this natural disaster.

In conclusion, floods in Pakistan are a major natural disaster that can have devastating effects on the country. They are caused by heavy rainfall and melting snow and can cause significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and crops. The government of Pakistan has taken steps to try to prevent and mitigate the effects of floods, but more needs to be done to address this issue.

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Pakistan case study: Coordinated and comprehensive response to the 2022 floods

Devastating floods in Pakistan affected 33 million people in 2022, with 8 million displaced, 13,000 injured and 1,700 killed – the latest in a series of increasingly frequent and severe climate-induced disasters. This case study explores how the empowered UN Resident Coordinator (RC) system was invaluable for responding to the complex crisis. Thanks to strengthened coordination capacities, including at the sub-national level the RC Office offered support to enable a swift humanitarian response, to augment the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)’s limited in-country resources in the immediate aftermath. The RC also enabled a focus on a collaborative approach with international financial institutions (IFIs), including for long-term recovery. The Living Indus Initiative, which emerged from the strategic prioritization for Pakistan’s UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework led by the RC, became the blueprint for a long-term approach, ensuring that UN efforts went beyond a mere response to a one-off disaster.  

Read the full case study here. 

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Pakistan’s Deadly Floods Pose Urgent Questions on Preparedness and Response

Photo: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images

Critical Questions by Jacob Kurtzer and Hareem Fatima Abdullah

Published September 13, 2022

Pakistan is experiencing its worst humanitarian crisis in a decade, spurred by extreme torrential rainfall and devastating flash floods. The most widespread flooding in the 73-year history of Pakistan has left one-third of the country underwater and parts resembling “ a small ocean .” The floods have impacted over 4.2 million people ; almost 1,400 people have died, including 458 children , more than 1,600 are injured, and half a million are displaced. Since mid-June, the flooding has damaged over 1 million homes and destroyed 130 bridges and 3,000 kilometers of roads. Authorities warn the flood waters could take up to six months to recede.

The destruction of critical infrastructure has created severe access constraints for civilians and government officials working to reach affected populations. The disaster aggravates preexisting climate, economic, and public health crises, with women, girls, and other vulnerable groups bearing the brunt. More than 6.4 million people are in “ dire need ” of humanitarian aid, requiring the international community to work collaboratively with local actors and the government of Pakistan to address immediate needs while providing support for longer-term prevention and rehabilitation efforts.

Q1: What is the situation in flood-affected areas?

A1: Satellite images reveal the extent of the devastation. The retaining wall of Lake Manchar—the largest lake in Pakistan, located near Sehwan Sharif in the southeastern province of Sindh— burst last week, causing thousands to flee and drowning hundreds of villages. After flood waters inundated two rural towns, the Pakistani government made a controversial, last-ditch attempt to ease pressure on the structure by engineering two intentional breaches. The government hoped to divert flood waters from densely populated areas and save the resting grounds of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, a renowned and revered Sufi saint. Its efforts proved futile: the ruptured wall inundated approximately 400 villages , affecting nearly 135,000 people and increasing water levels as much as six feet.

Lake Manchar, Sindh, Pakistan

Copyright © 2022 by Planet. Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact [email protected] .

The Sindh province continues to see record rainfall, and water is permeating into the overflowing water channel of the Indus River, swollen by tributaries such as Lake Manchar. Several flood survivors from villages on the banks of the Indus made the treacherous journey to Sukkur, approximately 230 kilometers from Sehwan Sharif, hoping to obtain food and medical assistance. However, Sukkur is now also submerged under water.

Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan

Sindh has been the province worst affected by the floods, with 522 deaths reported , including 219 children, but other regions also face “ apocalyptic ” levels of destruction. In southwestern Balochistan, Pakistan’s poorest province, flooding has destroyed 60 percent of the houses. Nearly 300 people , including over 100 children, have been killed in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since mid-June. The floods have damaged dozens of bridges, hundreds of kilometers of roads and water supply lines, and more than 1,000 houses in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. Over 900,000 acres of crops in Punjab, including nearly half of the country’s cotton , have been destroyed.

Q2: What factors are contributing to the devastation?

A2: In April and May 2022, Pakistan experienced its hottest months in 61 years, causing nearly 100 deaths in northwest India and southeast Pakistan. The heatwave “ [tested] the limits of human survivability ,” with temperatures in parts of the country exceeding 122 degrees Fahrenheit . Earlier this year, forest fires destroyed 45 acres of Margalla Hills National Park. A NASA study suggests that some areas in Pakistan will soon become uninhabitable. Karachi, Pakistan’s financial and industrial capital, with a population of 16 million, is forecast to be submerged in seawater by 2060. Jacobabad, considered the world’s hottest city , is already underwater .

Despite early speculation, climate experts say Pakistan’s floods are not primarily attributable to glacial melt. The country is home to more than 7,200 glaciers , the highest number outside the Antarctic and Arctic polar caps. Although rising temperatures have caused the glaciers to melt at increased rates, Islamabad-based ecologist Parvaiz Naim claims that “such floods have so far been of local significance only because of the relatively small volumes of discharge."

According to Shafqat Munir, a research fellow at the Islamabad-based think tank Sustainable Development Institute, southbound rains prompted the catastrophic flooding. Pakistan, located on the far western edge of the South Asian monsoon region, with a predominantly arid desert climate, generally receives far less rainfall than parts of India. However, the volume of rainfall in Pakistan this year has been historic; the country has seen 190 percent more rain than the 30-year average, and meteorologists forecast more unabating precipitation in the weeks to come. Sindh and Balochistan have received 784 percent and 496 percent of their average rainfall this season, respectively.

In addition to climate change, several other factors account for the extreme impact of the flooding. Experts claim the Pakistani government is “paying the price for years of delays in addressing the problem.” Corruption, mismanagement of the country’s water resources, a lack of necessary infrastructure, and weak governance have fueled the crisis, hitting the poorest and middle class the hardest. Many structures were built illegally or so poorly that they could not withstand the rains and subsequent floods, and some were constructed in places previously affected by the 2010 floods. Local government authorities often lack the capacity to combat illegal construction. Pakistan’s army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, has called for legal action against those responsible for erecting structures on vulnerable sites.

Illegal logging persists across Pakistan, despite claims the government controlled the situation through the deployment of paramilitary forces. Pakistan, already in a forest deficit with only 5 percent of areas forested, compared with a global average of 31 percent, has experienced higher deforestation rates than average due to rampant forest fires and uncontrolled logging. Trees restrict sediment deposition and stabilize soil during extreme rain events. With increased deforestation, Pakistan will become more susceptible to severe flooding.

Political instability has exacerbated the situation further. A power struggle between the Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition government and ousted leader Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, dominated media coverage in earlier months of the crisis. The heat wave that began in April and the floods that hit Balochistan province in July received little attention from politicians or news organizations. While the immediate political crisis has ceased, underlying tensions may affect the long-term response.

The excessive production of carbon emissions by industrialized countries in the Global North is also causing severe climate impacts in the Global South. Pakistan is home to 2.6 percent of the world’s population, yet it has contributed only 0.4 percent of global carbon emissions since 1959, well below its fair share of safe emissions. Countries in the Global North, on the other hand, have exceeded their quotas by 92 percent , with 100 companies responsible for 71 percent of emissions. The United States accounts for 4 percent of the world’s population but is responsible for 13 percent of global carbon emissions, bearing a “ disproportionate liability .” Continued inaction from the Global North to reduce its emissions will further contribute to climate-induced humanitarian disasters in countries across the Global South.

Q3: What are the short- and long-term impacts of the floods?

A3: This year’s calamity alone would have been disastrous, but the flooding compounds preexisting economic and public health crises in Pakistan. The government reported a record 27 percent inflation rate for August, requiring it to meet conditions to restart an International Monetary Fund (IMF) plan, including ending subsidies on oil and increasing tariffs on electricity consumption. The government accepted the requirements, which has helped stave off default but inflicted strains on the poorest and middle class.

As part of the bailout, the IMF approved a $1.17 billion loan that will go toward relief efforts. Pakistan is also expected to receive $16 billion in commercial loans, $14 billion from other international institutions, and $2 billion in foreign direct investment. According to Ahsan Iqbal, the minister of planning and development, the cost of damage the country has incurred thus far will likely be “ far greater ” than current estimates of $12.5 billion . Some experts argue the loans will further weaken Pakistan’s economic position.

Pakistan has been facing heightened food insecurity due to inflated food prices resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The widespread destruction of Pakistan’s agriculture and livestock will trigger additional severe food shortages. The flooding has drowned 900,000 livestock and obliterated 80 to 90 percent of crops and over 2 million acres of farmland . Faisal Edhi, head of the Edhi Foundation, Pakistan’s largest social welfare organization, says that those who have survived the floods now risk death by starvation. The United Nations warns of increasing risks of mortality and severe acute malnutrition among newborns, with health services unable to meet growing needs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the flooding has damaged more than 1,460 health centers , 432 of which are inoperable, primarily in Sindh province. Health officials are concerned about large-scale outbreaks of waterborne diseases—namely cholera, diarrhea, and malaria—and respiratory illnesses, which have caused significant strains on health facilities and killed almost 1,200 people . According to the WHO, diarrhea, measles, respiratory infections, skin diseases, typhoid, and vector-borne diseases, such as dengue and malaria, have been reported , especially in badly affected areas. With half a million people crowded into emergency relief camps, the health crisis will likely deteriorate further. The need for clean drinking water, hygiene kits, and sanitation is ever-present. There is also an urgent need to scale up disease surveillance, replenish health supplies, and restore damaged medical facilities.

The floods have severely exacerbated the situation for women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. According to CARE Pakistan country director Adil Sheraz , “It’s women, girls, and other marginalized groups who face the biggest challenges including access to humanitarian assistance.” The UN Population Fund estimates more than 8 million women and girls of reproductive age are affected, with 1.6 million needing humanitarian assistance. Pakistan’s crumbling healthcare infrastructure has rendered at least 650,000 pregnant women without the facilities and support they need to deliver their children safely. Of the 100,000 pregnant women in Sindh province, only 891 have been able to relocate to emergency relief camps. Up to 73,000 women have delivery dates in the next month and require skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and support. With over 1 million homes damaged, women and girls face a heightened risk of sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV). Pakistan’s Khwaja Sira (transgender) community, who already face daily discrimination, are also at heightened risk of violence.

During the “super-floods'' of 2010, extremist attacks against religious minorities—particularly Ahmadis and Shias— increased , sparking violent protests against the police for failing to protect them. Minority groups had been denied services by aid workers, an offense likely to reoccur in the absence of protective measures and safeguards for vulnerable groups. Reports of SGBV against women and girls from minority religious communities, including Hindus , have already surfaced.

Q4: How have domestic, regional, and international actors responded thus far?

A4: During his recent visit to flood-affected areas in Pakistan, UN secretary-general António Guterres said he “never [has] seen climate carnage” at this scale, warning “today it is Pakistan, tomorrow it could be your country.” Guterres calls on the world to stop “ sleepwalking ” through the crisis. The United Nations announced a flash appeal for $160 million to “provide critical food and cash assistance to Pakistan.” The United States has allocated $50 million in humanitarian assistance to support flood survivors, using the funds to supply food, multipurpose cash, nutrition, safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene, and shelter assistance.

The European Union will provide $1.8 million to relief efforts in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces. The United Kingdom has announced $17.3 million in funding, and other European countries have followed suit, including Germany, which has pledged $13 million to Pakistan. However, Germany is facing growing criticism over deporting Pakistani asylum seekers amidst the catastrophic flooding, with one refugee group describing the deportations as “ humanitarian bankruptcy .” Bangladesh , China , Qatar , Turkey , and the United Arab Emirates , are also contributing, yet current funding levels are nowhere close to what is needed, according to Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.

Although Pakistan is facing a massive humanitarian crisis, the international response to date is minuscule compared to Ukraine, where around 12 million people were displaced—around a third of the displaced population in Pakistan. World leaders have criticized the international community’s focus on the war in Ukraine, arguing that crises elsewhere are not being given the same attention. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebre claims the world “is not treating the human race the same way.” Columnist Fatima Bhutto argues that “it is either a snide form of racism—that terrible things happen to places like Pakistan—or an utter failure of compassion.”

Civilians and local government authorities are doing the heavy lifting on the ground, conducting rescue operations and delivering emergency relief to the country’s most vulnerable. Organizations such as Women Democratic Front are developing mechanisms to distribute cash and in-kind goods to families affected by the floods. Yet volunteers on the frontlines are facing severe access issues . Floodwater has inundated miles of roads, making some towns almost impossible to reach. The government has been unable to deploy helicopters to rescue survivors due to the relentless rain, with nowhere to pump the water. Only 10 percent of survivors have received any assistance so far.

Relief efforts should draw lessons from the response to the 2010 floods when Pakistanis turned out in full force to coordinate relief efforts, donate, and volunteer with local organizations or government-led operations, as they have in recent months. Donors and international actors, such as the Aga Khan Development Network , the Edhi Foundation , and the Hidaya Foundation , should act in support of Pakistani organizations and make a concerted effort to give back agency and leadership to domestic response organizations more capable and attuned to the needs of affected populations.

Second, in the months after the initial response to the 2010 floods, funding and international attention on the crisis dwindled . The scale of destruction and needs is expected to worsen with time. All stakeholders should develop means to provide funding and resources for a sustained period while keeping longer-term disaster prevention and rehabilitation in mind. This assistance should focus on grants and mechanisms that can support local actors rather than large loan packages that can exacerbate existing economic challenges.

Pakistan has a long way to go toward recovering from the current crisis and preparing for future disasters. International actors can do their part by supporting local actors in their short-term response and longer-term prevention and rehabilitation efforts. The floods should also serve as a wake-up call for countries in the Global North to drastically reduce emissions so that countries in the Global South contributing the least to climate change no longer are faced with the consequences.

Hareem Fatima Abdullah is a program coordinator with the Humanitarian Agenda at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Jacob Kurtzer is director and senior fellow with the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda.

Critical Questions  is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).

© 2022 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.

Jacob Kurtzer

Hareem fatima abdullah, programs & projects.

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Pakistan floods: A health crisis of epic proportions

With 33 million people affected by the flooding, there are increased risks of waterborne diseases and disrupted access to healthcare.

Thirty-three million people have been affected by the recent floods in Pakistan. The disaster has left more than 1,300 people – including more than 400 children – dead, displaced millions and put one-third of the country under water.

The floods were brought on by a severe heatwave which caused glaciers in the mountains to melt and heavier-than-normal monsoon rains.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the flooding as a “monsoon on steroids” and a “climate catastrophe”. South Asia is one of the world’s climate crisis “hotspots” where people are 15 times more likely to die from climate effects, he warned. Although Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent to global carbon emissions, its share of the catastrophic effects of climate change is colossal.

As initial floodwaters ravaged towns and villages, drowning posed an immediate danger, and many people lost their lives this way. But as water continues to destroy crops and the roads along which food is transported, malnutrition becomes a very real threat. As is the case with many natural disasters, the most vulnerable will be the worst affected.

As well as being a humanitarian disaster, the floods also threaten the very fragile health infrastructure that was in place in Pakistan, bringing with them a new set of worrying health challenges.

Even before the current floods, there was a significant disparity in access to health services between rural and urban areas. Accessing these rural areas has been difficult. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 1,400 health facilities had been fully or partially damaged and that access to “health facilities, healthcare workers, and essential medicines and medical supplies” remained the main healthcare challenge.

Waterborne diseases

Another key concern is the likely rise in waterborne diseases. People who have fled the devastation are living in makeshift camps with little or no access to clean water. According to charity Wateraid, half of all water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in some of the hardest-hit areas of Pakistan have suffered substantial damage, and there are already reports of thousands of people suffering from dysentery.

This highly infectious disease is an intestinal infection that causes severe diarrhoea with blood, fevers, abdominal cramps and life-threatening dehydration. The bacteria and parasites that cause dysentery, shigella E coli and amebiasis thrive in poorly sanitised water. Children and the elderly will be at most at risk of the complications that accompany dehydration.

The spread of cholera is also a concern according to the WHO and the UN . Cholera is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. It is spread through contaminated water supplies. If not managed properly, it can cause hypovolemic shock due to loss of fluid, kidney failure, and death. People who contract cholera can shed the bacteria in their stools for up to 10 days, adding to the risk of it spreading.

Before the floods, Pakistan was experiencing a rise in cholera cases , particularly across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan regions, and oral cholera vaccines and surveillance programmes were being set up, but many of these will have been pushed back as the floods hit.

As flood waters become stagnant, we are also going to see a rise in mosquito populations, which will use the waters as a breeding ground. Mosquitos bring with them vector-borne diseases, the most worrying being malaria and dengue fever.

With malaria, mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite which is released into the bloodstream when an affected mosquito bites a human. The parasite travels to the liver where it grows; once fully formed it leaves the liver and enters red blood cells and begins to multiply. When the numbers inside of a red blood cell reach critical levels, they bust open, destroying the cell and the cycle begins again with the new parasites. Symptoms typically include fever, sweats, anaemia, and vomiting. There is a risk of coma and death if not treated with appropriate medication.

Dengue fever is transmitted via the bite of a mosquito harbouring the dengue virus. Symptoms include high fever, headaches, rashes, swollen glands as well as vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. A small percentage of people who have dengue fever can develop a more serious form of the disease known as dengue haemorrhagic fever. This can cause severe bleeding and death.

Skin diseases caused by people living in wet conditions are already being widely reported. Dermatological fungal infections grow best on wet or damp skin. As people make their way through floods, they expose large parts of their skin to the microbes that live within the water. Unable to wash clean afterwards, these bacteria and fungi thrive in skin folds under breasts, in the groin area and between toes causing intense itching, pain and skin breakdown, which in turn increases the risk of further infections.

Disrupted care

There is also a concern that the floods will cause disruption to much-needed immunisation programmes that were being rolled out across Pakistan.

Before the floods, Pakistan had reported more than 4,500 cases of measles and 15 cases of wild poliovirus in 2022, according to the WHO. Children will now be put at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases as much of the infrastructure needed to access and provide these life-saving vaccines was washed away.

Additionally, children face an education crisis as the floods have also fully or partially destroyed nearly 19,000 schools. This lack of education coupled with the trauma of living through a natural disaster of such magnitude is going to have far-reaching consequences for the children affected.

Among the millions of severely affected people are at least 650,000 pregnant women and girls, 73,000 of whom are expected to deliver in the next month. The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) says many of these women lack access to the healthcare facilities and support they need to deliver their children safely. With healthcare facilities and homes destroyed, many simply do not know where or how they will give birth.

Even before the floods, Pakistan had high maternal mortality rates – a result of lack of access to healthcare facilities and education, malnutrition, poverty and a high prevalence of violence against women. This was most pronounced in rural areas – the very areas that have been worst affected by the flooding. And it is not only pregnant women and girls who will be affected, but also those seeking access to contraception and other reproductive health services.

In addition to this, menstruating women are unlikely to have access to sanitary products and risk serious infection by using pieces of cloth to soak up menstrual blood and then washing it in contaminated water supplies, only to reuse it again.

Any relief effort must recognise that women and girls are disproportionally impacted by any natural disaster and must plan for female-specific support.

There has been criticism over the sluggish response to aid provision, particularly as the disaster has come at a time when many in the West are grappling with rising food and energy bills of their own. But turning our backs on those living through climate catastrophes largely caused by other countries is a mistake.

The global plan must recognise the immediate crisis facing the people of Pakistan but also the steps needed to tackle the wider issue of climate change because if nothing is done, it will inevitably affect us all.

Pakistan’s Floods are Deepening its Learning Crisis

Jaime saavedra, lynne sherburne-benz.

Pakistan recently experienced one of the worst floods in the country’s history. Heavy monsoon rains, about 6 times the average of the last thirty years , have affected more than 33 million people .  Around one-third of the country’s land mass is under water. We hope that this crisis is an international wake-up call, making clear that school systems urgently need to be made more climate resilient.   Schools are heavily affected by the floods, as are other basic services. The ‘Government High School Ahmadani’, pictured above, lies almost in ruins. The school in Pakistan’s Dera Ghazi Khan district has served generations of students since 1916. The headmaster explains that it is no longer possible to conduct classes in the school building.  The “unavailability of electricity and drinking water has made the school building dysfunctional. Also, without a boundary wall, the school is a security threat” [for our students], he added. 

Initial assessments indicate that across Pakistan, more than 24,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed  . An estimated 3.5 million children have had their schooling disrupted. Gohar Abbas, an education activist, says that many schools have been transferred to emergency shelters where families have temporary accommodation. In Balochistan, the majority of schools are being used as emergency shelters. In Sindh, the hardest hit province, floods have damaged 39 percent of all primary and secondary schools.  

While analytical work on the impact of the floods is ongoing, we already know that this devastation compounds Pakistan’s learning crisis. Prior to COVID and the floods, three in four Pakistani children were in “Learning Poverty”, which means that they do not know how to read or  understand  simple text by age 10.  Children can be in “Learning Poverty” either due to being out of school (which we call “schooling deprivation”) or their inability to read at a minimum proficiency level by a certain age (which we call “learning deprivation”). 

Initial calculations based on documented flood damage to schools suggest that learning losses from the floods could exceed those due to COVID if not carefully remediated. In some parts of the country, the scale of flood-induced damage to school infrastructure is so severe that Learning Poverty may rise by 5 percentage points from schooling deprivation alone. To put this number in perspective, earlier simulations suggested that COVID-19 school closures could raise Learning Poverty in Pakistan from its pre-pandemic baseline of 75 percent to 79 percent of all children in Pakistan, at a cost of between US$67 billion and US$155 billion in Pakistan’s GDP at Net Present Value (2017 PPP). 

Whether or not such an increase in learning poverty occurs will depend on how rapid and effective policy responses are. Earlier crises in Pakistan led to severe and long-lasting impacts on learning. The 2005 earthquake substantially reduced children’s learning outcomes four years later despite significant financial compensation for families. School closures during the pandemic have led to large drops in enrolment, especially among poorer households , as well as reduced learning levels, despite the fast mobilization of distance learning programs. 

Even before the floods struck, there was a great deal of work to be done in improving school quality and children’s readiness for school. Pakistan scored second to last on the 2019 TIMSS assessments, which measured science and mathematics outcomes in 64 countries . Data collected in early 2022 from South Punjab indicate that only 51 percent of three to five-year-olds were able to demonstrate age-appropriate skills.  Across 900 schools, in only 11 percent of pre-primary classrooms were teachers demonstrating skills associated with adequate levels of instructional quality. In parts of the province that have been hit by floods this number was one percent or two out of 199 classrooms.

Rebuilding Pakistan’s education system will require coordinated effort, resources and the smart sequencing of interventions  . Pakistan has launched a massive relief effort to alleviate the devastating health and economic impacts of the floods. Households have begun receiving temporary shelter, cash transfers and health assistance. Children have begun receiving emergency schooling in temporary settlements to ensure continuity in learning. But these efforts will require support at scale, including substantial financing. After the 2010 floods, the cost to the education sector alone was estimated at about US$ 311.3 million . The current crisis will be substantially more expensive, given that more than twice as many school buildings are affected, costs of construction have increased and access to many locations is also impaired. The Government of Pakistan and the World Bank are freeing up existing and new funding to build back this infrastructure with better climate resilience. 

In parallel, interventions to recover and accelerate learning through strategies rooted in evidence are needed to save the human capital of an entire generation. In countries such as Kenya , such acceleration strategies include extensive support to teachers to improve the efficiency of instruction. Households and children can be supported through nudges and cash transfers during school closures to continue learning and to ensure that children return to schools once they reopen. 

Access to schools is also restricted by issues that cannot be resolved by schooling departments alone. Cross-departmental coordination will help fix inundated roads, damaged homes, clean up WASH access and provide children’s emergency medical needs. Gohar Abbas, the education activist, says that he witnessed a sharp increase in absenteeism due to migration and diseases. Pakistan, which has had its share of crises already, needs the international community’s full support. The future of millions of children depends on it.  

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• 19 September 2023

For Pakistan flood victims, crises collide to fuel growing hunger

‘We cook the same vegetables almost every day... and haven't had meat in months.’

Freelance journalist based in Islamabad, focused on human rights and society

Freelance journalist covering food systems and climate change

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Emerging hunger hotspots: The world is experiencing a third major food crisis in 15 years. This one is coming on the heels of a pandemic, increasingly erratic weather patterns, and an inflationary surge. We typically focus on the worst affected, but this series sounds the alarm on fast-growing needs around the world by flagging the rapid deterioration in several countries that traditionally haven’t needed food aid.

For decades, Manzoor Hussain Khoso had a good life on his 16-acre farm in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The wheat and rice he cultivated allowed the 64-year-old to provide for his family of nine. But all that changed in August 2022 when unprecedented flooding turned his village into a lake. It would remain completely submerged for nearly two months.

“I lost all my crops,” Khoso told The New Humanitarian. “The government said they would provide us with seeds for wheat cultivation, but we received nothing.”

Families across the country were devastated by the floods. More than 1,700 people died, 33 million were affected, and an estimated eight million were displaced. To make matters worse, some 9.4 million acres of crops were destroyed and more than 1.1 million farm animals perished.

The floodwaters finally receded and the harvesting of cotton, a key crop, resumed in much of Sindh. But residents of the nation’s second most-populous province – from landowners to small-scale farmers, from manual labourers to government workers – told The New Humanitarian they’re still struggling to feed themselves more than a year later.

“We still live in tents and borrow money to make ends meet,” said Khoso. 

Scientists have attributed the flood disaster to climate change. But equally crippling in its aftermath have been political and economic crises that have led to soaring food and energy prices, plummeting currency values, and an increasingly angry populace unable to afford basic goods and services. 

“Everyone in flood-affected areas [has] lost their livelihoods and, with the inflation, they have no means to support themselves,” said Wazir Ali, a 42-year-old farmer with 40 acres of land just outside Khairpur Nathan Shah, a major town in northern Sindh known as K.N. Shah.

Since last year’s no-confidence motion that resulted in the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan , Pakistan’s political crisis has been a distraction from efforts to fix the struggling economy, with the humanitarian response in places like Sindh also taking a backseat.

In June, the country of 241 million narrowly avoided default after reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a $3 billion rescue package, which included conditions such as increasing fuel prices . Recently, protests against rising petrol and electricity prices have turned violent. 

There is food, but people can’t afford it

A recent assessment of 43 rural districts in the three provinces most affected by floods – Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – found that 29% of the population were experiencing high levels of hunger. 

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system – created to track food insecurity and more accurately predict extreme hunger and famine – has warned that the situation is expected to worsen between November 2023 and January 2024. 

Continued food inflation will likely be a contributing factor. Though overall inflation slowed to 27.4% in August from a record high of 38% in May, food prices remained high in both urban and rural areas. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics says food inflation continues to hover between 38.8% and 40.6%.

This has led to a situation where people can’t afford food, even when plenty is available, explained Arshad Muhammad, country director for the international aid agency Mercy Corps. Muhammad pointed to this year’s bumper harvest of wheat, and Pakistan’s position as one of the world’s top 10 wheat producers, as further evidence of the paradox millions of Pakistanis now find themselves facing.

Take for example Moomal, whose family lives in K.N. Shah. The 48-year-old said her husband’s income as a manual labourer can no longer cover the family’s basic expenses. 

“We cannot afford to buy [cooking] oil,” said Moomal, who only gave one name. ”We cook the same vegetables almost every day without any spices. We haven't had meat in months. We can’t even afford to make tea in the evenings.” 

Sitting in the two-room house shared by four families that still bears the marks and cracks caused by last year’s floods, Moomal explained how the family has been forced to cut back due to the combination of her husband’s decreasing income and the record-high inflation. 

“Before the floods, everything was better,” she said. “Now, whatever little income we have goes towards food.” 

The hunger is also having a very real effect on future generations of Moomal’s family. Her heavily pregnant daughter-in-law fears the impact her meagre diet could have on the health of her unborn child. 

“I feel weak because I do not get to eat,” said 27-year-old Noor, now in her ninth month. “I have barely eaten any fruit during this pregnancy.” 

Illness has prevented her husband from working. “He has stomach issues and TB, so he is unable to work although he is employed as a vaccinator in the hospital,” Noor said.

Throughout the country, low-income households in flood-affected areas continue to suffer, even in some of Pakistan’s biggest cities.

In Karachi, the capital of Sindh, Parveen Saeed, the founder of the Khana Ghar community kitchen, said she is now feeding 8,000 people a day, compared to 4,000 or 5,000 a couple of years ago. 

Established in 2002, the kitchen charges three rupees – about three US cents – for a plate of curry and flatbread, but she has started providing the meals free to those who can’t afford it.

“We used to be able to support anyone who asked for help, but now the amount of people asking for donations has increased so much that as a small, independent organisation we aren’t able to help everyone,” she said.

In the long line of people snaked outside Saeed’s office waiting for food, Rizwana told The New Humanitarian she has been relying on Khana Ghar to feed her family of seven for five years: “The queues are getting longer,” she said. “Sometimes, I leave without getting food.”

Climate crisis continues to loom large 

In the mountainous and sparsely populated province of Balochistan to the northwest of Sindh, weather-related disasters have slashed harvests for a populace already used to years of hardship thanks to extreme weather.

Maryam Jamali, the 20-year-old co-founder of Indigenous-led community organisation Madat Balochistan, said recurring floods and droughts have affected her district, Jaffarabad, for the past 15 years. Coming after a prolonged drought , the 2022 floods destroyed rice harvests and seeds for wheat, while heavy rains this year wiped out the wheat harvest.

“There hasn’t been a year where there was enough food that I know of in my lifetime,” Jamali said. “Many of the places we are working are agricultural-based economies,” she explained. “They have no other source of income… so when agriculture is gone they have nothing to survive on.”

Jamali said sharecropping, practised by many small-scale Pakistani farmers, was contributing to this plight. 

Under this system, farmers rely on loans – either from merchants or informal lenders – to buy fertiliser and seeds and pay them back with a portion of their crops. When harvests are destroyed, farmers end up deeper in debt. Still, agriculture remains the country’s largest sector, employing nearly half of the labour force and contributing about 24% of its GDP.

But farming is also highly vulnerable to changes in precipitation and temperature. Farmers, landlords, and aid workers told The New Humanitarian they are seeing more frequent floods and subtle shifts in planting seasons. 

“The cropping calendar I have observed in my lifetime has been changing. Pakistan is not prepared or fully adapted to these changes in the climate,” said Aamer Irshad, assistant representative for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in Pakistan. 

Climate change is already bringing both excessive monsoon rainfall and prolonged heat waves to the country, according to World Weather Attribution, a global research collaboration that analyses linkages between extreme weather and climate change. 

Irrigation, a key basis for Pakistani farmers, is also under threat as the availability of water is not predictable anymore, said Mercy Corps’ Muhammad. 

Habib Wardag, a food security expert with Save The Children Pakistan, added that the El Niño phenomenon, associated with drier-than-normal conditions, is already reducing rainfall in parts of Sindh and Balochistan. He warned that if local food production is further reduced as a result of climate change, Pakistan could face trouble on both fronts – higher prices as well as lower production. 

Over-reliance on imports and cereals 

The combination of rising hunger and malnutrition, economic and political woes, and weather extremes makes it all the more urgent to ensure that Pakistan’s food system is resilient and can provide enough nutritious food that is affordable, aid experts said.

But, they added, the country’s reliance on imports (including for nearly 90% of its edible oils ), the lack of government support for nutritious foods, and the culture of carbohydrate-heavy diets (high in calories but low in nutrients) all pose serious challenges.

Pakistani farmers depend on fertilisers from Ukraine and Russia, and the price of one key fertiliser has increased by nearly five times compared to three years ago, according to Irshad. 

He explained how most inputs for the poultry industry are also imported – with animal feed coming from Brazil and the United States, and medicine coming from Europe and China – so when feed prices went up, the cost of eggs and meat in local markets did too.

Government policies and investment also support cotton and cereals – rice, wheat, sugarcane, and maize – while the development of nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and fish is marginalised, Irshad said: “The government is indirectly supporting less diversity and, therefore, the food that Pakistanis eat is not very healthy.”

The government also needs to put more money into researching the best farming practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change, according to Farrah Naz, country director for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). 

“Many stakeholders are trying to work on climate-smart agriculture and there are efforts at developing more climate-adaptable seed varieties,” Naz said, calling for experts with proven track records to help small-scale farmers produce food sustainably and effectively.

But it’s not all in the Pakistani government’s hands. World leaders also need to keep the commitments made during the last climate negotiations to financially support vulnerable countries like Pakistan, said Muhammad, alluding to promises to set up a loss and damage fund to help those hit by disasters.

“A delay in meeting [those commitments] has an impact on people's lives, their children’s lives, and what they eat,” he said.

The lack of support, and of solutions, is keenly felt in the flood-hit Sindh village of Bhooro Magrio, where worries about food and health preoccupy Maira, a young mother taking a break with a group of female farm workers.

“We earn 250-300 rupees (almost $3) per day picking cotton, but work is seasonal. What [should] we prioritise with such a low income and high inflation – food or medicines?” asked the 20-year-old, who has been working as a farm labourer for four years. 

“My son only gets to eat bread and boiled potatoes,” she said. “I always feel weak, and the doctor said I am anaemic and underweight.” 

Somaiyah Hafeez reported from Sindh, Pakistan. Thin Lei Win reported from Turin, Italy.

Edited by Ali M. Latifi.

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Pakistan's history of disasters and the lessons we fail to learn

It is now common wisdom that all hazards are natural and all disasters a result of unjust anthropogenic interactions with nature.

Though the most recent flooding is different in nature compared to the one in 2010 — the latter was a flash flood while the current is a riverine flood — in both cases, it can be argued that the damage caused by both disasters is the outcome of changes in demography as well as ill-advised development policies across Pakistan.

Some of the more immediate outcomes of the latest disaster will be felt in the form of displacement, rise in illiteracy, unemployment, health crises, water and food scarcity, infrastructure damages, loss of human lives, destruction of crops, livestock losses, water-borne diseases, outward migration to cities and loss of social capital.

Faced with these multi-faceted challenges in such a short period of time, humanitarian and relief agencies must act and adapt rapidly to mitigate the problems faced by the millions of people who have been impacted in recent weeks. But are we ready to do so? Have we learnt any lessons from our long history of disasters?

Pakistan and disasters

Pakistan is vulnerable to most natural hazards. It is prone to floods, earthquakes, droughts and cyclone storms. It is prone to famines and heavy monsoons. And let’s not forget the other kinds of disasters that its inhabitants inflict upon each other — the scourge of terrorism.

Over the past 17 years, Pakistan has witnessed three major crises — before the current one — that have cumulatively impacted almost 28 million residents. While the nature and scale of these crises were different, two of them were caused by natural hazards — the 2005 earthquake, which impacted 3.5 million people and the 2010 floods that affected more than 20 million people.

A third disaster, born out of the evil machinations of the humankind, was the 2008-2010 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) crisis. This was triggered by an internal conflict and displaced almost 4.2 million people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and what were then known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

As per media reports, 89 per cent of the people who were displaced chose not to stay in refugee camps arranged by the government. The remaining were housed in camps located in Swabi, Mardan Charsadda, Nowshera, Kohat and Peshawar. Almost 50pc of the IDPs were children and 90pc had lost all their assets (including livestock, crops etc).

But for the sake of brevity and the constraints of space on this platform, let us focus our thoughts on natural hazards that may not have turned into disasters. Both the super floods —the one is 2010 in general and the most recent one in particular — did not strike Pakistan in a single day; rather, they built up over several weeks.

For instance, in 2010, the flood started from Balochistan from July 22, 2010, and then within a span of one and half months, the gushing waters had inundated several towns and villages of Sindh. This provided ample time to the Sindh and Punjab governments to ready themselves for the impending disaster and ensure they had enough resources to mitigate any crisis.

It was almost déjà vu in 2022 — and yet, no lessons had been learnt. After all, disaster management is more about preparedness than response.

A similar script was witnessed in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake when the falling debris, unauthorised construction, change of land use and dwellings in the hazardous zone converted the hazard into a disaster of biblical proportions.

Media reports following the earthquake put the death toll anywhere between 87,000 and over 100,000. Another 138,000 were injured and over 3.5 million rendered homeless.

According to official statistics, the deceased included over 19,000 children — the majority due to collapse of school buildings. The quake itself damaged over 780,000 buildings, including 17,000 schools and several hospitals. Around 250,000 livestock also perished.

Floods … again … and again

According to the Federal Flood Commission , Pakistan has witnessed 28 super riverine floods in its 75-year history. The first recorded super flood was witnessed in 1950, followed by 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1995 and then every year since 2010 — which also saw the worst flood in the country’s history. These floods collectively affected 616,558 square kilometres of land, snatched 13,262 precious human lives and caused losses worth over Rs39 billion to the national economy.

The area comprising modern day Sindh, in particular, has a long history of recurring riverine floods. In the 19th and 20th centuries, floods hit the province’s geographical territory at least18 times.

Data is not available for the years of 1882, 1887, 1903, 1914, 1917, 1921, 1930 and 1948. In 1973 alone, however, 259,586 acres of crops were affected in eight districts — Jacobabad, Sukkar, Nawabshah, Khairpur Mirs, Larkana, Hyderabad, Dadu and Thatta.

Two years later, another super flood impacted 1.13 million people. The next year, heavy rains caused yet another flood and around 28,260 villages were affected, 3,276 people displaced, 9,087 cattle were lost and 99 people lost their lives. Similar stories of damages have been reported in 1978, 1992, 1994 and 1995.

What is particularly interesting to note is that though the province has a centuries-old history of natural disasters, successive post-independence governments have largely have been less responsive to this reoccurring phenomenon and failed to act in a proactive manner.

Flash floods — which are quite sudden and are often caused by a cloud burst in the mountains — are also not new to the country.

On July 23, 2001, for example, record monsoon rains lashed Islamabad, as well as the districts of Mansehra, Rawalpindi and other towns and cities across Pakistan. The resultant flooding killed at least 350 people and injured another 150.

Some 125 people remain missing to this day and at least 1,500 families were rendered homeless. The most seriously affected area was the Mansehra district, where more than 200 people were killed and around 1,000 houses destroyed. A large number of cattle in this largely rural area also perished, and parts of the roadway also collapsed, making it difficult to reach those in dire need of assistance.

Apart from Mansehra, the other affected areas were Dader (Shinkiari) and Buner districts, which were struck by flood waters and landslides. At Dadar Qadeem, at least 200 homes collapsed or were completely washed away.

Narrated below are the some of the reasons — only tip of the iceberg — that transform a traditional hazard of floods into a horrendous disaster as seen in recent times.

Population explosion

In 1981, the country had a population of 84.25 million , which jumped to 207.7 million within a span of 36 years — an addition of 127.2m (or 3.53m per annum). The country is passing through the third stage of demographic transitions, where both the birth and death rates are declining.

There is also a gender component associated to demography, particularly in Pakistan, where the female population growth rate is higher than males.

The total population of women in 1951 stood at 15.5 million (46.22pc), whereas in 1998 it had moved up to 47.1m (48pc). The intercensal increase in 47 years, meanwhile, stood at a whopping 302.36pc.

The 2017 census recorded a female population of 101.3 million — 48.7pc of the total population. Notwithstanding the gendered aspect of this population growth — which we will pick up on a little later — this phenomenal rise is compelled to utilise the natural resources beyond their carrying capacity, thus challenging the notion of sustainability.

Development policies

In his seminal work that correlates Pakistan’s development policies and its environmental issues, The Environmental Repercussions of Development in Pakistan , Arif Hasan along with the late journalist Amenah Azam Ali, states that development brought about by the colonial regime in India had four main objectives:

• Exploit existing natural resources to serve the needs of industrialisation in Britain
• Increase agricultural production in response to the demands of industry and domestic consumers in Britain
• Prevent the development of an indigenous industrial sector in India, and limit or destroy existing industrial activity
• Increase the revenues of the empire

After independence, the Government of Pakistan continued most of these policies as a result of which a large percentage of natural resources, such as forests, lakes and mines, were taken over from the old feudal order and local communities and became the property of the state, thus making their large-scale commercial exploitation possible.

One example of deforestation would substantiate this argument. Around 4.91pc of Pakistan’s land is covered in forest — among the lowest in the region.

The percentage of Pakistan’s forest area is, however, not without contestation, with the figure varying between 2.2pc and 5.1pc. What is important to remember is that trees along the land-water borders serve as the first line of defence against any incoming water streams.

Besides deforestation, another major cause of flooding is the lack of regular maintenance of canals and bunds, which in turn reduces their carrying capacity and causes water spills onto the adjourning lands.

Recent media reports and video footages from across the country have highlighted the instability of various bunds. A similar situation was witnessed in the 2010 floods, where in Sindh alone, there were several breaches due to the enormous pressure of gushing waters.

In many cases, the roads and commercial infrastructure developed over the last 30 years is less sensitive to the traditional pathways of water flow — blocking it and devising alternative flows creates a back pressure effect — resulting in flooding of the adjoining settlements. Similarly, encroachments on the mouth of the river outlets in the southern parts of the country has reduced the water flow which again results in flooding.

The colonial masters never allowed human settlements on katcha lands [riverbeds] as these are primarily meant for the overflow and residual water by the Indus during the monsoon floods. The post-flood alluvial soil, being rich in nutrients, acts as a natural fertiliser for the crops, so the use of katcha land was primarily related to agricultural purposes. The land is now dotted with commercial establishments and hamlets, which are the first to be inundated every time it floods.

Relevant observations

Based on 13 years of experience on disaster management and its related issues, here are some of my observations on the current scenario for a comparative outlook with the previous calamities:

• There are marked differences in the pattern of occurrence of disasters — their frequency, typology, and location: frequency has increased manifold, intensity has increased and spatial distribution of impact is wider
• More people are affected; there are more deaths, displacement and damage to property
• The effects of a single disaster can be felt across political boundaries
• More people in high-risk areas prone to natural hazards, and development plans are increasingly failing to tackle this problem
• Expenditure on reactive mode of disaster management (in relief and rehabilitation) has increased greatly

Countries in the subcontinent show wide disparities in terms of how the issues of disasters are addressed, though the impact of any disaster does not respect the political boundaries — the smog in eastern and western Punjab is a case in point.

Disaster management — the approaches

The current disaster management regime in Pakistan has its roots in the response to the 2005 earthquake which involved the private sector, civil society and government institutions. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Pakistani government created institutions responsible for disaster preparedness and response at the national, provincial, and local levels.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was meant to be responsible for policy-making and coordination at the national level. At the provincial level, the respective Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) were mandated to set up a system that would immediately spring into action in the aftermath of disasters and calamities — whether natural, man-induced, or accidents.

The current thinking on disasters and their management skills falls into two main paradigms — the conventional and the alternative.

The former is in turn influenced by natural science and applied sciences approaches. The natural science approach equates hazards and hazardous events and also perceives disasters as synonymous with hazards. It emphasises research into geophysical and hydro-meteorological processes. Disaster management activities focus on monitoring of hazards and prediction of hazardous events.

The applied science approach emphasises documenting and analysing losses and damages associated with hazardous events. It determines the magnitude of a disaster in relation to the magnitude of the losses incurred. Initiatives influenced by this approach focus on research into the exposure and resistance of physical structures.

In contrast, the alternative paradigm is based on a combination of social science and the holistic approach. The social science approach brings vulnerability into the disaster management discourse.

It links disaster to vulnerability, which is a degree of the lack of capacity of households, communities and societies to absorb the impact of hazardous events and recover from them. This approach maintains clearly that hazards are natural but disasters are not. It also shows that the magnitude of a disaster is related to differential vulnerability between and within communities. Differences in age, gender, caste and class are among the factors making different groups of people more or less vulnerable to disasters.

The holistic approach is an important constituent of the alternative paradigm. It maintains that disasters are closely related to unsustainable development. It maintains that risk scenarios are combinations of capacities, vulnerabilities, losses and hazards. The holistic approach regards disasters as socio-economic hazards.

Role of media

Experience shows that the media has a very important role to play not only during, but also in the pre- and post- phases of disasters. It is also a well-established fact that mass communication systems organise themselves under the disciplines of the market.

They produce and manufacture news items, articles, editorials, features and so on and package them in a way that it creates a sustainable market among a large and growing audience. The masses for the mass media are a market. Information becomes a commodity and readers or viewers become information consumers.

From the normative perspectives, it can be argued that the media has to act as a public interest institution by putting forward public concerns and interest. The media’s convergence with disaster management efforts needs to be grounded in initiatives to inform educate and empower communities with the relevant knowledge for influencing public action and policy towards disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Gender issues

Various studies have found that women account for more than half of the 200 million people annually affected by disasters across the globe annually. The degree of vulnerability to disasters varies according to socio-economic influences.

Gender is a significant factor among these, with the majority of the gender-related disparity in the experience of disasters arising from the different roles and responsibilities men and women undertake in their day-to-day lives. In most South Asian societies, women have almost the entire responsibilities for maintaining the household — they are responsible for providing food and water as well as taking care of the sick and the old.

In the case of a disaster, irrespective of the losses and trauma, women still have this responsibility. Disaster managers’ lack of awareness of gender differences has resulted in insensitive and ineffective relief operations that largely bypass women’s needs and their potential to assist in mitigation and relief work.

The most important issue deserving emphasis is that contrary to popular perception, women are not helpless victims but display great strength in extreme situations. They possess skills, resilience and extensive knowledge about appropriate coping strategies, but their capacity remains largely invisible.

Operationalising the alternative paradigm

Infrastructure destruction figures provide a good sense of the long-term consequences of a catastrophe as we have seen in events as varied as the Sumatra floods, the Indian floods, Haiti earthquake and the Iran (Bam) Earthquake.

To mitigate the ongoing disaster of floods in Pakistan, the following steps must be taken on a war footing, as disaster response is all about timely action:

• Though there is visible donor fatigue in the global North, the international media must be tapped in to raise awareness about the scale and the intensity of the present day calamity
• Foreign embassies need to be energised for targeted fund raising. They need to be made accountable against the set targets
• In the same vein, it is suggested that the funds collected for the Dam Fund be released for relief and rehabilitation
• All hazard mappings by various organisations need to be in the public domain
• Simultaneously, in the flood-affected areas, district level teams must be made operational for needs assessment and identification of would-be beneficiaries
• In the floods of 1973, the administrative apparatus was agile and responded efficiently to the catastrophe. In the 2005 earthquake and the 2010 floods, civil society played an instrumental role. For genuine and not-so-genuine reasons, by 2022, both the arms of the disaster management regime have lost their zeal. It’s necessary to provide the humanitarian sector enough autonomous space so it can play its due role
• Helicopter operations and sorties need to be made operational without any delay
• Instead of tents, roofing kits (bamboos, tarpaulin, ropes) must be procured from local sources and from neighbouring countries to provide temporary shelters to the displaced
• High power water trash pumps need to be transported to the sites where water remains stagnant
• Gender-segregated raised platforms need to be constructed immediately as reports of more riverine floods are making the news to meet the eventuality
• Meanwhile, the NDMA needs to facilitate respective PDMAs for a comprehensive, compact, composite and a consented rehabilitation plan
• Above all, land use plans of the affected areas need to revisited and guarded from all violations. That will protect the affected population in the long term form the nature’s wrath. The flash floods’ path ways need to be cleared of all encroachments
• The relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction enterprises need to respect the local ecological format
• Women play a significant role in all stages of disaster and climate risk management. Gender specific requirements need to be given priority and care needs to be provided to the care givers
• Market forces have the tendency to capitalise and make profits on a disaster and its destruction. The sudden rise in prices of tents is a case in point. This vulture mindset needs to be reined in through legislation and administrative measures

If history can be a guide here, the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction will take a minimum period of three years. A lot of civil society veterans are of the opinion that if the Economic Affairs Division and other administrative setups can ease their procedural requirements from the civil society organisations, it would accrue to the benefit of the people of Pakistan.

The need of the hour

The high population growth has put tremendous pressure on the resources of the region. The 90s were characterised, in particular, by declining public expenditures on the provision of social services, such as health and education, due to the increasing number of people in South Asia. This phenomenon of population growth has taken its toll on natural resources as well, which is now working against intergenerational justice and is bound to invite the wrath of nature.

The development mindset of the planners is, at best, insensitive towards their environmental obligations and treats the ecology as a mere commodity. The market-based economy does not account for the cost of ecological destruction and the natural habitats are taken for granted.

On the other hand, a shift in paradigm is needed from a reactive to a proactive mode of disaster management to alleviate the sufferings of the community. The dominant approach to dealing with disasters, which offers no space for community-based initiatives — since it sees communities/victims, as part of the problem for which solutions need to be worked out — is not very appealing.

There is, therefore, an urgent need for a marked shift in this paradigm. A middle- and long term community-based disaster preparation enterprise is the best response. This is what history teaches us. This is what we must heed, lest history continues to repeat itself.

Header video: An aerial view of flood affected areas in DI Khan in August 2022. — Video courtesy: KP CM House

The author is a PhD scholar, peripatetic, Karachi-based academic and board member of the Urban Resource Centre (URC), Karachi. He can be reached at [email protected]

International responsibility

Govt to form response centre to manage flood crisis

Floods inflict $10bn losses across Pakistan

Content Search

Flood disaster in pakistan situation report (27 august 2022).

• Turkish Red Crescent

Attachments

The floods caused by the monsoon rains since mid-June 2022 has affected Balochistan, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) provinces of Pakistan. According to the official figures (NDMA, SIT-REP No.075) the massive floods have so far claimed 1,033 lives and injured 1,527 people. The estimated number of affected people is around 30 million, and around 1 million houses are totally or partially damaged leaving behind millions in need of urgent shelter.

Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Response

PRCS has been responding to the flood disaster in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the support of DREF (CHF 481,058). Besides deploying 6 mobile water treatment plants, NFI (hygiene kit, jerrycan and mosquito net) and cash assistance (16,000 PKR - 73.5 CHF) are being provided; from which 1,100 families in Balochistan, 400 in Sindh, 400 in Punjab, and 1,100 in KPK will benefit. Additionally, IFRC is planning to launch an Emergency Appeal in coming days.

Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) Response Plan

TRCS, in collaboration with PRCS, is providing cash assistance (16,000 PKR - 73.5 CHF) and NFI (300 hygiene kits, 600 jerrycans, and 1,500 mosquito nets) to 300 families in Jafferabad, Balochistan. Furthermore, 100 tents (16m2 ) and 1,000 blankets will be sent by air cargo along with humanitarian aid by Ministry of Interior, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Türkiye, which is expected to arrive in Pakistan on 28.08.2022 to alleviate the suffering of flood affected people. Also, free medical camps are planned to support diagnosis and treatment around 6,000 people.

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• 09 September 2022

Pakistan’s floods have displaced 32 million people — here’s how researchers are helping

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With more than a one-third of Pakistan affected by flooding, millions of people are in need of food, shelter and medical care. Researchers, along with the government, international aid agencies and local organizations are racing to provide assistance ahead of more rain predicted this month.

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Essay on Flood in Pakistan 2024 with Outline

Basically, natural disasters mean the unpredicted damage which occurs naturally. These types of disasters are happening across the world that caused huge destruction which sometimes results in the loss of human lives. Thus, no one in the whole world can stop them but it is found behind these disasters there are serious natural reasons. Flood is one of the common natural disasters. The flood causes a considerable amount of destruction by the abundant flowing of water. Some floods occur unexpectedly and move away quickly. During 2024 the best essay that covers all the related info on the topic of the flood in Pakistan with an outline is here in detail.

 In Pakistan, floods are ordinary as the territory of Pakistan contains rivers. Unluckily, Punjab and Sindh are heavily affected by the flood. During the monsoon season, the rivers and canals of the these provinces filled up at an enormous rate by heavy rainfall due to which the river basins go down into the water. In Sindh, hurricanes and massive winds may sometimes carry seawater which is another reason for flooding.  In addition, heavy rainfall and ice melting are the main causes of the flood.

Every year in Pakistan flood causes huge devastation. The after effects of the flood are more than worse. People who used to live near the river banks lose their lives, their houses got collapsed, and their possessions and properties got ruined. Meanwhile, a large number of people have to shift towards a safe place. The affected people live without shelter, food.

They even have no basic necessities of life. By drinking unclean water, the victims of flood suffer from many diseases. Thus, the health issue is also created by the flood. The helpless people suffer from malaria, measles, diarrhea. Furthermore, the means of communication and transportation are also badly affected.  It wipes away even the heavy items. Every disaster has its end whereas in Pakistan flood disaster has become the dilemma of each year.

The government of Pakistan every year makes plans and efforts to avoid this natural disaster. The Government should endorse money for longer-term loans and gratuitous reliefs. The government should draw its attention to making the bigger dams and special ways must be adopted that transfer the overflow of water into the dry areas or into the lakes and river.

The government has made relief committees and asks for shelter, food, and clothes. Pakistan’s army is appointed to help, assist, and support the victims of the flood. People on their behalf help their brothers by giving donations and also pursued other people to help the needy people.

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Pakistan hasn't learned lessons from 2022 deadly floods, experts say

Experts says that millions of people in pakistan continue to live along the path of floodwaters showing neither people nor the government have learned any lessons from the 2022 devastating floods that killed 1,737 people, article bookmarked.

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Millions of people in Pakistan continue to live along the path of floodwaters, showing neither people nor the government have learned any lessons from the 2022 devastating floods that killed 1,737 people, experts said Thursday, as an aid group said half of the victims among 300 people killed by rains since July are children.

Heavy rainfall is currently drenching those areas that had been badly hit by the deluges two years ago.

The charity Save the Children said in a statement that floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season, making up more than half of all deaths in rain-affected areas.

The group said that 200 children have also been injured in Pakistan because of rains, which have also displaced thousands of people. Save the Children also said that people affected by floods were living in a relief camp in Sanghar, a district in the southern Sindh province, which was massively hit by floods two years ago.

“The rains and floods have destroyed 80% of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock,” the charity said, and added that it's supporting the affected people with help from a local partner.

Khuram Gondal, the country director for Save the Children in Pakistan, said that children were always the most affected in a disaster.

“We need to ensure that the immediate impacts of the floods and heavy rains do not become long-term problems. In Sindh province alone, more than 72,000 children have seen their education disrupted," he said.

Another charity, U.K.-baed Islamic Relief , also said weeks of torrential rains in Pakistan have once again triggered displacement and suffering among communities that were already devastated by the 2022 floods and are still in the process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.

Asif Sherazi, the group's country director, said his group is reaching out to flood-affected people.

There was no immediate response from the country’s ministry of climate change and national disaster management authority.

Pakistan has yet to undertake major reconstruction work as because the government didn't receive most of the funds out of the $9 billion, which were pledged by the international community at last year's donors' conference in Genera.

“We learned no lessons from that 2022 floods. Millions of people have built mud-brick homes on the paths of rivers, which usually remain dry,” said Mohsin Leghari, who served as irrigation minister years ago.

Leghari said that less rain is predicted for Pakistan for monsoon season compared to 2022, when climate-induced floods caused $30 billion in damage to the country's economy.

“But, the floodwater has inundated several villages in my own Dera Ghazi Khan district in the Punjab province,” Leghari said. “Floods have affected farmers, and my own land has once again come under the floodwater."

Wasim Ehsan, an architect, also said Pakistan was still not prepared to handle any 2022-like situation mainly because people ignore construction laws while building homes and even hotels in the urban and rural areas.

He said the floods in 2022 caused damages in the northwest because people had even built homes and hotel after slightly diverting a river. “This is reason that a hotel was destroyed by the Swat river in 2022," he said.

Saad Edhi, an official at the country's largest ambulance service, also said based upon his past experience of supervising relief operations, he could say that Pakistan may suffer damages if it faces the 2022-like floods.

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Pakistan hasn't learned lessons from 2022 deadly floods, experts say

People wade through a flooded road caused by heavy monsoon rain, in Hyderabad, Pakistan, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. Credit: AP/Pervez Masih

ISLAMABAD — Millions of people in Pakistan continue to live along the path of floodwaters, showing neither people nor the government have learned any lessons from the 2022 devastating floods that killed 1,737 people, experts said Thursday, as an aid group said half of the victims among 300 people killed by rains since July are children.

Heavy rainfall is currently drenching those areas that had been badly hit by the deluges two years ago.

The charity Save the Children said in a statement that floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season, making up more than half of all deaths in rain-affected areas.

The group said that 200 children have also been injured in Pakistan because of rains, which have also displaced thousands of people. Save the Children also said that people affected by floods were living in a relief camp in Sanghar, a district in the southern Sindh province, which was massively hit by floods two years ago.

“The rains and floods have destroyed 80% of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock,” the charity said, and added that it's supporting the affected people with help from a local partner.

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By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy .

Khuram Gondal, the country director for Save the Children in Pakistan, said that children were always the most affected in a disaster.

“We need to ensure that the immediate impacts of the floods and heavy rains do not become long-term problems. In Sindh province alone, more than 72,000 children have seen their education disrupted," he said.

A family take refuge on high place after flooding their house and area caused by heavy monsoon rains near Sohbat Pur, an area of Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. Credit: AP/Uncredited

Another charity, U.K.-baed Islamic Relief, also said weeks of torrential rains in Pakistan have once again triggered displacement and suffering among communities that were already devastated by the 2022 floods and are still in the process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.

Asif Sherazi, the group's country director, said his group is reaching out to flood-affected people.

There was no immediate response from the country’s ministry of climate change and national disaster management authority.

Pakistan has yet to undertake major reconstruction work because the government didn't receive most of the funds out of the $9 billion that were pledged by the international community at last year's donors' conference in Geneva.

Villagers wade through flood area caused by heavy monsoon rains near Sohbat Pur, an area of Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. Credit: AP/Uncredited

“We learned no lessons from that 2022 floods. Millions of people have built mud-brick homes on the paths of rivers, which usually remain dry,” said Mohsin Leghari, who served as irrigation minister years ago.

Leghari said that less rain is predicted for Pakistan for monsoon season compared to 2022, when climate-induced floods caused $30 billion in damage to the country's economy.

“But, the floodwater has inundated several villages in my own Dera Ghazi Khan district in the Punjab province,” Leghari said. “Floods have affected farmers, and my own land has once again come under the floodwater."

Wasim Ehsan, an architect, also said Pakistan was still not prepared to handle any 2022-like situation mainly because people ignore construction laws while building homes and even hotels in the urban and rural areas.

He said the floods in 2022 caused damages in the northwest because people had even built homes and hotel after slightly diverting a river. “This is reason that a hotel was destroyed by the Swat river in 2022," he said.

Saad Edhi, an official at the country's largest ambulance service, also said based upon his past experience of supervising relief operations, he could say that Pakistan may suffer damages if it faces the 2022-like floods.

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