TO nobody’s surprise but, it seems, the authorities’, the monsoons have brought with them reports of death and destruction, the waters washing away before them roads and other infrastructure in the northern parts of the country and large swathes of crops in parts of Punjab. On Saturday, over 40 people died — almost half of them in Karachi alone — and hundreds of villages were flooded in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as rivers burst their banks. And in cities such as Karachi and Hyderabad, administrative apathy meant that thousands of people had to contend with prolonged power breakdowns and traffic jams, besides dealing with immediate dangers such as possible electrocution as a result of snapped wires. The question, as always, remains why the state always swings ponderously into action after the event. Over a month ago, the meteorological department warned that this year’s rains were likely to be heavy; does the state’s report card show that enough efforts were made to mitigate the coming, predictable rain-related havoc? The reality is very far from it.

Given the flooding disasters in recent years that left millions in the country affected, it is time that authorities here realised that weather patterns may be changing. The National Disaster Management Authority has warned of more rain and floods in different parts of the country and there is a need to prepare accordingly. It is not merely a question of organising immediate help when the waters strike. As crucial is the aftermath of the rains and flooding when stagnant waters breed disease and families rendered homeless have no place to go, when livelihoods are lost and food becomes scarce. A cohesive plan aimed at preventive strategies, effective rescue methods and rehabilitation will go a long way in reducing the impact of the damage.