MONSOON rains, cloudbursts, landslides and flash floods have wreaked havoc in KP, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Since mid-August, harsh weather conditions have left hundreds of people dead, while uprooting thousands from their homes. Rescuers themselves have faced losses, as when a KP government helicopter crashed during rescue operations, apparently due to bad weather, killing all on board. Properties, livelihood assets, settlements and infrastructure have all been harmed.

The federal and provincial governments are taking steps to deal with the situation by announcing rehabilitation and redevelopment works. The call of the hour is to prioritise actions according to what people need most urgently. Rescue, relief, rehabilitation and redevelopment is the usual sequence followed. Additionally, if one goes by the principles of disaster management planning, the repair of highways and other corridors of communication should be a top priority. After immediate measures for controlling flash floods, such as reinforcement of embankments, are taken, a comprehensive assessment of the losses sustained is essential.

Mapping and categorising the damage are the first steps. During this stage, reconnaissance surveys are carried out by IT tools such as Geographical Information Systems, Land Information System and other cartographical aids. As earlier satellite images can easily be accessed through software, a ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparison can give an accurate picture of the disaster scenario. Undertaking detailed analyses of the damage and its causes is necessary to reconstruct the picture and understand locational faults.

For instance, engineers in some parts of Swat say that many tourist hotels were located dangerously close to the river. The poor quality of construction did not help. Hence, they were washed away. Similarly, several embankments were sloppily bolstered, which caused water to penetrate them. The difference in levels between the settlements and the surrounding roads was another reason for the inundation of hamlets, villages and even towns. In many cases, there was no provision of land/ surface drainage.

Prompt measures could have minimised the disaster impact.

Flawed infrastructure development also contributed to the destruction. Buner is an example. It is a largely rural district. Being at a higher altitude, it has been the worst hit due to the gushing water emanating from very heavy rains.

The next step is to assess pre-warning systems for the mobilisation of residents towards safer ground and the protection of people’s assets. The Met Department has been prompt and efficient in flashing warning signals and conveying relevant information to the public and the authorities. However, action by local institutions has been slow — sometimes coming after the damage that prompt rescue efforts could have prevented. Relief work is expected from the federal agencies including army contingents. No doubt, the role played by these agencies is extremely useful, but they can only come after a state of emergency is reached.

In any disaster situation, the first few days — even hours — are important. If warnings are received, the administration must transfer the people and their moveable assets to safer locations. Prior demarcation of high points, access roads and the provision of a basic infrastructure in these rescue nests should be undertaken as a routine municipal assignment.

Evidence from the outskirts of Buner and Swat has shown that the public’s haphazard and disorganised response was due to lack of education and awareness. Many communities resis­ted evacuation, wai­ting for a last-minute miracle. By com­-

municating the real hazards of impending disasters in an effective manner, the people can be persuaded to mobilise quickly. Local government offici­als, pesh imams and school teachers can act as catalysts in this respect.

Besides, efforts must be made to make available studies related to catastrophes and disaster prevention and safety at schools. This is a norm which is widely practised in disaster-prone areas such as Japan. Unless personal actions synchronise with the demands of the emerging situation, the damage will not be controlled.

A vital issue is the local capacity of dealing with disasters. At the level of the union council and tehsil, it is important that staff is trained in emergency duties. This may comprise routine civil defence training, labour supervision skills, elementary construction and engineering awareness, usage of basic machinery such as bulldozers, excavators, tractors and dumpers, etc. And Buner, where much of the population is not literate, must work very hard to scale up education levels. Disaster response only delivers when people understand the science behind it.

The writer is an academic and researcher based in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2025