A girl carries her sibling as she walks through stranded flood water in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera on Sept 4, following rains and floods during the monsoon season. — Reuters

As 2022 comes to a close, millions of Pakistanis still reel from catastrophic floods

Roof to live under, clean water to drink, sufficient food sources, education, health services are just some of the basic necessities that flood-affectees have been deprived of.
Published December 24, 2022

This year’s devastating floods wreaked such havoc that Pakistan was pushed two steps back without taking one forward.

The catastrophic floods affected 33 million people across the country — of whom an estimated 8m are still exposed to floodwaters or living close to flooded areas — and displaced 8m people.

They caused an estimated Rs3.2 trillion (US$14.9 billion) of damage — equivalent to 4.8 per cent of the GDP for the fiscal year 2022.

As the year ends, 20m people are still dependent on humanitarian aid, while flash appeals by the United Nations have received only 30pc of the $816m pledged by the international community.

As of Oct 11, 94 districts were declared as calamity-hit, accounting for more than half of all districts in the country.

This piece, which uses photographs and videos that we used in our coverage of the devastation, is a reminder that the suffering of nearly 10pc of Pakistan’s population is still continuing.

Wrecked homes

When the floods happened, 897,014 houses were destroyed and at least 1.4m houses were partially damaged.

People retrieve bamboo from a damaged house following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Dera Allah Yar, district Jafferabad, Balochistan, Pakistan on Aug 25. — Reuters/Amer Hussain
People retrieve bamboo from a damaged house following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Dera Allah Yar, district Jafferabad, Balochistan, Pakistan on Aug 25. — Reuters/Amer Hussain

Starvation

By the end of 2022, the number of people facing food insecurity increased from 7m to 14.6m as a result of loss of production and price increases, according to preliminary estimates.

Deteriorating food insecurity would push additional 1.1m people into IPC 4 (emergency phase) in early 2023. Evidence from available data indicates that over 5.1m people are already experiencing IPC 4 conditions in flood-affected areas.

IPC ‘Phase 4 Emergency’ is when urgent action is needed to save lives and livelihoods due to large food consumption gaps, which are reflected in very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality.

 People who became displaced, receive food handouts at an aid camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 11. — Reuters
People who became displaced, receive food handouts at an aid camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 11. — Reuters

Hard work washed away

Around 4.4m acres of crop area were damaged and more than 1.1m livestock was estimated to have perished.

An aerial view of the devastation caused by the floods when UN Secretary-General António Guterres witnessed the impact of the floods in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. — UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
An aerial view of the devastation caused by the floods when UN Secretary-General António Guterres witnessed the impact of the floods in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. — UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Red chili peppers are seen after being submerged in rain waters during monsoon season in Kunri, Umerkot, Pakistan, Oct 15. “Last year, at this time, there used to be around 8,000 to 10,000 bags of chillies in the market,” said trader Raja Daim. “This year, you can see that there are barely 2,000 bags here, and it is the first day of the week.” — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro
Red chili peppers are seen after being submerged in rain waters during monsoon season in Kunri, Umerkot, Pakistan, Oct 15. “Last year, at this time, there used to be around 8,000 to 10,000 bags of chillies in the market,” said trader Raja Daim. “This year, you can see that there are barely 2,000 bags here, and it is the first day of the week.” — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

No schools, no future

According to a government report, an estimated 1.2m households with children aged 6-11 were prevented from attending school, with girls’ education disproportionately deprioritised.

Children, who became displaced, play as their families take refuge in a camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 15. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro
Children, who became displaced, play as their families take refuge in a camp, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 15. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

At least 26,632 schools have been damaged or destroyed in the four provinces due to the floods as of Oct 20, interrupting the education of more than 3.5m children — including 1.3m girls — while 7,062 schools have been turned into relief camps.

A family — displaced because of the floods — take refuge in a school, following rains and floods during the monsoon season, in Karachi, Pakistan on Sept 22. — Reuters
A family — displaced because of the floods — take refuge in a school, following rains and floods during the monsoon season, in Karachi, Pakistan on Sept 22. — Reuters

Literally no way home

An estimated 13,115 kilometres of roads and 3,127km of railway tracks were damaged to various extents.

The main bridge which connects Hub, Balochistan with Karachi collapsed during the floods during the monsoon season. — Ayaz Khan/File
The main bridge which connects Hub, Balochistan with Karachi collapsed during the floods during the monsoon season. — Ayaz Khan/File

Children stand as their family takes refuge along a damaged road amid flood, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Bajara village, at the banks of Manchar lake in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 6. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro
Children stand as their family takes refuge along a damaged road amid flood, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Bajara village, at the banks of Manchar lake in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 6. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

Empty pockets

A total of 4.3m workers across all provinces were affected, with varied income losses due to the severity and duration of the impact.

A man with milk canisters walks along a flooded street, following rains during the monsoon season in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Aug 24. — Reuters/Yasir Rajput
A man with milk canisters walks along a flooded street, following rains during the monsoon season in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Aug 24. — Reuters/Yasir Rajput

Ravaged job-providers

About 4,170 direct jobs in the private sector were adversely impacted by the floods, including losses in seasonal and long-term jobs within the tourism industry.

A view of a flooded restaurant at Bypass Road in Mingora, Swat. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq
A view of a flooded restaurant at Bypass Road in Mingora, Swat. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq

A flooded restaurant at Bypass road in Mingora, Swat during the floods faced by Pakistan this year. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq/File photo
A flooded restaurant at Bypass road in Mingora, Swat during the floods faced by Pakistan this year. — Photo by Fazal Khaliq/File photo

Poor immunisation

An additional 5.5m households with children under the age of five were estimated to not be fully immunised, leaving children at risk of deadly and preventable diseases.

Badar Bibi, 29 — a flood victim whose ailing 6-year-old son died at the relief camp where she and her family were taking refuge — sits in the camp following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 9. — Reuters/Salaman Rao
Badar Bibi, 29 — a flood victim whose ailing 6-year-old son died at the relief camp where she and her family were taking refuge — sits in the camp following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept 9. — Reuters/Salaman Rao

Murky water

An estimated 1.5m households were deprived of clean water and sanitation, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle of disease and poverty.

Boys play in flood water on the main Indus highway, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan on Sept 15. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro
Boys play in flood water on the main Indus highway, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan on Sept 15. — Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

The expecting only expect difficulties

Around 650,000 pregnant women faced challenges in accessing maternal services, while nearly 4m children lacked access to health services.

Women wait to receive medical assistance following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Jamshoro on Aug 26. — Reuters
Women wait to receive medical assistance following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Jamshoro on Aug 26. — Reuters

Lost heritage

At least 149 archaeological sites — including two World Heritage Sites in Sindh — suffered partial but considerable damage across the assessed areas.

A general view of a mosque amid flood waters following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Jamshoro on Aug 26. — Reuters
A general view of a mosque amid flood waters following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Jamshoro on Aug 26. — Reuters

Young girls at risk

By the end of 2022, 640,000 adolescent girls were estimated by the United Nations Population Fund to be vulnerable and at risk of coercion, gender-based violence and child marriage as these rates increase in the wake of crises and economic insecurity.

A girl carries her sibling as she walks through stranded flood water, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Nowshera, Pakistan on Sept 4. — Reuters
A girl carries her sibling as she walks through stranded flood water, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Nowshera, Pakistan on Sept 4. — Reuters

An internally displaced flood-affected woman feeds her child alongside flood water at a makeshift camp in Jaffarabad, Balochistan province on Sept 23. — AFP
An internally displaced flood-affected woman feeds her child alongside flood water at a makeshift camp in Jaffarabad, Balochistan province on Sept 23. — AFP

Hard lives made even harder

Around 3.8m people with disabilities living in the calamity-hit districts faced challenges and discrimination in access to services.

A member of the Pakistan Army discharges an elderly flood victim from a boat, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in village Arazi in Sehwan, Pakistan Sept 11. — Reuters/Yasir Rajput
A member of the Pakistan Army discharges an elderly flood victim from a boat, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in village Arazi in Sehwan, Pakistan Sept 11. — Reuters/Yasir Rajput

A helping hand

As of Dec 15, an estimated 5.8m people have been reached out to for aid in various sectors, including food security and livelihoods, shelter, health, sanitation and hygiene, and protection.

A displaced girl carries a bottle of water she filled from nearby stranded flood-waters, as her family takes refuge in a camp, in Sehwan, Pakistan, Sept 30 — Reuters
A displaced girl carries a bottle of water she filled from nearby stranded flood-waters, as her family takes refuge in a camp, in Sehwan, Pakistan, Sept 30 — Reuters


Data has been collected from:


Header photo: A girl carries her sibling as she walks through stranded flood water in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera on Sept 4, following rains and floods during the monsoon season. — Reuters


Compiled by Muskaan Mujahid