According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Floods in Pakistan affected at least 33 million people and killed at least 1,739 from the beginning of monsoon season in mid-June 2022 to Nov. 18, 2022. More than 20 million people required humanitarian assistance. Almost 10.5 million people in Pakistan experienced high levels of acute food insecurity between Aprils to October 2023. More than 1.2 million livestock were killed during the 2022 monsoons, with severe repercussions on the livelihoods of affected households and the supply of animal products, including milk and meat. According to officials, the floods affected nearly 15% of Pakistan’s rice crop and 40% of its cotton crop. The floods displaced at least 7.9 million people. In 2023, many displaced people returned to their places of origin, but they returned to challenging circumstances. More than 2.1 million homes were damaged or destroyed by the floods in 2022. According to the post-disaster needs assessment, the flooding caused $14.9 billion in damages and $15.2 billion in economic losses. Estimated needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction in a resilient way were at least $16.3 billion. As of March 31, 2023, humanitarian partners had provided assistance to an estimated 7.51 million people. According to the Pakistan Education Sector Working Group, the floods affected 2.2 million children and damaged a total of 34,204 schools in 126 districts. The floods damaged more than 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers) of roads and 410 bridges, hampering people’s ability to seek safety and reach markets. According to UNICEF in March 2023, “more than 10 million people, including children, living in flood-affected areas remain deprived of safe drinking water, leaving families with no alternative but to drink and use potentially disease-ridden water.” According to Pakistan Floods 2022 Impact Assessment, Federal Government announced Rs 70 billion for flood relief assistance. The government carried out the distribution of nearly 6 lac tents, 4 lac tarpaulins, 3.5 million mosquito nets, and nearly 18 lac food packs. These efforts were carried out through the help of NDMA, PDMAs, Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Organization Assistance, and Armed Forces. Over 20,000 army troops were deployed in relief operations, with hundreds of helicopters and C1-30 aircraft sorties. Hundreds of motorboats were mobilized to undertake search and rescue operations in affected areas throughout the country and to distribute relief supplies to the displaced population.
This was the brief picture of the flood 2022 and the efforts made by the state and the world. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast a seasonal outlook in 2024 of above-normal rainfall from June to August, which requires adequate contingency and preparedness measures to mitigate a high impact among the most vulnerable, especially in at-risk districts in KP, Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh. During this season, flash or urban flooding is anticipated in hill torrent areas and plains of major cities in Sindh, Punjab, AJK, and KP due to heavy rainfall, while the extreme hydro-meteorological events over catchment areas of the major rivers of the country are likely to generate riverine floods. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has advised Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), and other relevant line departments to remain vigilant and prepared to respond to any emergent situations. Following are my humble concerns;
- Are we (the people) really ready for coming flood?
- Are our authorities (DDMAs), and other relevant line departments (except Armed Forces) really prepared for forthcoming devastation?
- Is it historically proven that we have heeded the warning for the past fifty years?
- Are we sure about the assistance from the globe according to the requirements?
Pakistan is consistently ranked among the world’s worst-affected countries due to climate change. South Punjab and especially Dera Ghazi Khan Division is affected by flood almost every year. More than 200 hill torrents originate from the west of Suleiman Range and hit Taunsa, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur Districts of Punjab in Pakistan. Among these, 13 hill torrents are having large catchment areas and flood potential. These hill torrent floods have badly caused multi-dimensional damages to life of the human beings, animals besides damages to infrastructure inclusive roads, buildings etc. Moreover the damages to houses have badly hit the area making people homeless and compelled the people to live on roads under the sky. Moreover, already scarce trees present in the hill torrent ecologies in southwestern Punjab (in the harsh arid environment) have been uprooted due to torrential rains and floods which are further amalgamating the future outlook of the environment causing more aridity in the spate ecologies of southwestern Punjab having far reaching negative consequences. The public representatives of south Punjab especially Sardar Ahmad Khan Leghari and Sardar Usama Fayyaz Khan Leghari emphatically raised their voices in the Punjab assembly in this regard, which was widely appreciated by the public and even the Government. We are hopeful that the country and nation will face the calamity with courage and wisdom and institutions and concern authorities will be able to protect us from this calamity through real and practical measures.
The author is a professor of Islamic Studies at Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan.
