The devastation caused by this monsoon’s floods is far worse than the government or anyone could have predicted. The death toll, which has risen to 207 in Balochistan, is still escalating every day, and if the experts are correct and there is still more extreme weather to come, the numbers could come dangerously close to a nationwide crisis reminiscent of the 2010 floods.
Pakistan has experienced a lot of floods, and with the growing threat of climate change, the intensity of natural disasters has become a lot more severe. Like most natural calamities, the floods have targeted the most disadvantaged. Incessant rain and flash floods in Balochistan have affected 18 bridges and 690 km of the highway while killing as many as 107,377 cattle, and damaging 23,117 houses.
Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods, and the homeless ones are still luckier than those whose houses collapsed on them—there are many cases of whole families being killed when the roof of their house caved in, burying them alive under tons of rubble. While Balochistan is the worst affected, Sindh and KP are not far behind in the devastation.
This is an ongoing crisis and climate emergency—the Met Office has warned of yet more new spells of rain in eastern Balochistan, south Punjab and Sindh in the next 24 to 36 hours. There is little that can be done immediately to prevent the pending harm except for setting up relief camps, and evacuation centers. However, what is worrying is that such a nationwide crisis is not getting the attention it deserves. News discourse and the priorities of politicians and the parliament are dominated by political and economic issues when this is an existential threat impacting the most disadvantaged.
Pakistan has experienced a lot of floods, and with the growing threat of climate change, the intensity of natural disasters has become a lot more severe. Like most natural calamities, the floods have targeted the most disadvantaged. Incessant rain and flash floods in Balochistan have affected 18 bridges and 690 km of the highway while killing as many as 107,377 cattle, and damaging 23,117 houses.
Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods, and the homeless ones are still luckier than those whose houses collapsed on them—there are many cases of whole families being killed when the roof of their house caved in, burying them alive under tons of rubble. While Balochistan is the worst affected, Sindh and KP are not far behind in the devastation.
This is an ongoing crisis and climate emergency—the Met Office has warned of yet more new spells of rain in eastern Balochistan, south Punjab and Sindh in the next 24 to 36 hours. There is little that can be done immediately to prevent the pending harm except for setting up relief camps, and evacuation centers. However, what is worrying is that such a nationwide crisis is not getting the attention it deserves. News discourse and the priorities of politicians and the parliament are dominated by political and economic issues when this is an existential threat impacting the most disadvantaged.
