Floods in Pakistan

Abstract

The 2022 floods in Pakistan caused widespread devastation, affecting vulnerable districts and displacing millions of people. Heavy rains, climate change, and poor urban planning were key contributors to the floods. The aftermath has led to significant challenges, including loss of livelihoods, rising food prices, disease outbreaks, and health risks for children. Public health facilities, water systems, and schools have also suffered damage. The economic losses exceed USD 14.9 billion, requiring substantial funding for reconstruction and climate resilience efforts. Immediate relief measures and long-term resilience-building are crucial. Pakistan's government must prioritize rehabilitation, reconstruction, and climate adaptation strategies. International support is essential to address the ongoing impact and ensure a prosperous and resilient future for Pakistan. Collaborative efforts and resource mobilization are necessary to mitigate vulnerabilities and foster sustainable development.

---

Pakistan has been facing many challenges over a prolonged period. One such challenge which Pakistan faced in recent times is Floods. From June 2022 to October 2022 Pakistan faced a lot of issues because of the same. These floods majorly affect the poorest and most vulnerable districts like Baluchistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kambar, Shahdad Kot, Khairpur, Mirpur Khas, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Umer Kot, Badin, Shaheed Benazir Abad and Naushahro Feroze districts in Sindh and Sohbatpur, Azad Kashmir and southern parts of Pakistan Punjab. More than 33 million people were estimated to be affected by these floods of which 1730 people or more lost their lives and around 8 million people are displaced now and facing a health crisis. The major reasons for these floods were heavy rains, severe heat waves, melting glaciers, climate change, poor urban planning etc.

As the crisis carries the potential of having a significant and long-lasting effect on people's lives and means of subsistence. The most vulnerable people are being affected by the loss of household incomes, and assets, rising food prices, and disease outbreaks. Particularly for those who are dependent on agriculture and animals, women have faced considerable losses in their means of subsistence. Up to 4 million kids could still be found in close contact with contaminated, stagnant flood waters as of mid-January 2023, threatening their health and well-being. Children who are weak, hungry, and suffering from acute respiratory infections, acute severe malnutrition, diarrhoea, malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, and painful skin disorders are waging a losing struggle. The risk to children's mental health, along with physical diseases, increases the longer the crisis lasts. Additionally, tens of thousands of public health facilities, water systems, and schools have suffered damage or destruction.

Image Source: http://surl.li/ipteh

According to the most recent UNOSAT research, an estimated 4.5 million people are still exposed to deadly diseases or living close to flooded areas, which is a major issue for food security, support with livelihoods, and public health. Inaccessibility to safe or drinkable water affects more than 2.5 million people. Because of insufficient aid, an estimated 1.1 million individuals run the risk of moving from acute food and livelihood crises to humanitarian emergencies involving food security. In at least 12 districts in Balochistan and Sindh, malaria outbreaks have been seen. There is an urgent need for nutrition aid for more than 7 million mothers and children. There is a 3.5 million child population that is at elevated risk of persistent school dropout, particularly girls.

In a study of the World Bank on the Pakistan Floods, the total economic losses will be close to USD 15.2 billion and that total damages will exceed USD 14.9 billion and to support Pakistan's adaptation to climate change and the nation's overall resilience to future climate shocks, it is estimated that rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts will require at least USD 16.3 billion, not including critically needed new investments beyond the affected assets. The 2022 floods are expected to have a severe negative impact on output, which will vary greatly by region and sector, adding to the country's existing severe economic problems. It is predicted that the floods will have a direct negative impact on GDP loss of about 2.2 per cent of FY22 GDP. At 0.9 per cent of GDP, the agriculture sector is predicted to experience the greatest decline. The industrial, foreign commerce, and services sectors will all be affected by the harm and losses in agriculture.

While working to guarantee economic growth and fiscal sustainability, the government is giving immediate help to the affected populations and fostering an early recovery. The output loss might be lessened in the future as spending on recovery and reconstruction increases. Nonetheless, substantial international support will be needed in addition to Pakistan's own commitment to boost domestic income mobilisation, conserve limited public resources, and lower the danger of worsening macroeconomic imbalances.

*This article is authored by Harshpreet Kaur, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida and reviewd by Arjun Gupta, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida.