AFTER climate change, man-made factors are the main culprit behind devastating seasonal floods in Pakistan. The first and foremost contributor is the menace of illegal encroachments near river streams and in coastal areas. The mafia of landgrabbers has blocked the natural flow of water by constructing heavy structures and restaurants in its way.

According to a report by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan, the Indus River, the longest in the country, has reduced flow and coverage area due to encroachments and illegal mass settlements close to its banks. During heavy rains or owing to snowmelts, the river spills over its banks owing to the narrow, and narrowing, riverbed.

Another reason is deforestation of the watershed in Pakistan. Trees near water streams have the capability to hold sudden water run-offs and landslides. Also, large trees and dense forests provide a physical barrier to floods.

As the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed, a typical medium-sized tree can intercept as much as 2,380 gallons of rainwater per year. Sadly, Pakistan has lost 33 per cent of its forest cover since its inception. This loss of forest has increased the risk of frequent floods in the country.

Further, siltation and deposition of sediments in dams and barrages also add to the reasons that cause floods in the country. As per a report by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Tarbela Dam has lost 40pc of its storage capacity due to siltation.

Besides, the relief and disaster management apparatus in the country seeks only temporary relief rather than permanent solutions. As in the past, Pakistan did not utilise funds that came from the international community properly. There was no plan in hand to address urban planning and infrastructural issues. All that we did was to target short-term relief, and, that too, in a shoddy manner.

We are simply committing the same mistakes again and again, and leaving the problems unattended till the next disaster and then the next. It is time we focussed on pre-disaster management, including urban planning, forestation campaigns, and anti-encroachment drives.

M.S. Sodhar
Larkana

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2023