SEVERAL parts of the country are currently in the grip of monsoon-related havoc, as heavy rainfall and swollen rivers are leading to loss of life and urban and flash flooding. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the arterial Karakoram Highway has been blocked at several points as melting glaciers — attributed to high temperatures — have caused the mountainous region’s water bodies to overflow. Houses have been damaged in the process and crops washed away. In Balochistan, heavy rainfall has reportedly left hundreds of people without shelter, while flash floods have swept away roads and bridges. The situation in upper Sindh is also of concern, with Sukkur and Larkana affected by torrential downpours. Over the past few weeks, parts of KP and Punjab have gone through similar rain-related problems, while Karachi, after receiving just light to moderate showers, has seen its road infrastructure degrade further and its sewerage system come close to collapse.

These extreme weather events depict the vast geographical reach of climatic incidents in Pakistan — from the mountains of the north to the plains of the south. True, extreme weather has been a part of nature’s cycle for millennia. But human activity — particularly manifested in anthropogenic climate change and unplanned growth — has worsened matters, which may get even bumpier unless there is greater focus on making infrastructure and settlements climate-resilient. Both flash flooding in rural and remote areas and urban flooding need to be addressed as per international best practices. While stopping the raging torrents may not be possible, mitigating their destructive impact certainly is. The north is particularly prone to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, and as the earth continues to warm, it is feared that these extreme events will become more frequent. Efforts by global agencies have been made to address this challenge and these and local projects must continue and adapt to changing circumstances so that vulnerable communities are saved from the worst of the disasters. Early warning and evacuation systems are of particular importance. In urban areas, haphazard growth has resulted in encroachments on storm-water drains, while an inefficient solid waste disposal system has clogged key urban outlets that drain rainwater. Making our cities more resilient to urban flooding will take time, but the effort must start immediately so that a few millimetres of rain do not paralyse urban centres like Karachi and Lahore.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2024