It is now the fifth consecutive year that floods have devastated the entire country. Almost everything was destroyed that came in its path including housing settlements, property, infrastructure and precious lives. The government now faces a loss of billions of dollars which puts further strain on Pakistan’s shaky economy. Unfortunately, the poor are the worst affected by extreme weather events such as floods, as their livelihoods are destroyed, families displaced and they have nowhere to go.
This year, the eastern rivers were flooded which devastated the entire province of Punjab and the waters then headed towards Sindh where their disastrous impacts are visible. The media’s warning to rural communities to move towards safer locations helped to save some lives but a great deal of destruction could still not be avoided.
In Sindh the communities of Sher Dil Mehar village in Ghotki have faced the deadliest impact of floods. Shahzada Mirani, aged 55, is among those thousands, whose livelihood and shelter has been taken away by the incoming floods and now there’s nowhere for him to go. This isn’t all, as the problem still remains in the form of stagnant flood water posing severe health hazards for affected communities. Such water is not drinkable and being cut off from the outside world makes affectees further deprived of basic facilities.
[quote]The Kukuar and Baltar glaciers in the north have retreated by almost 8 kilometres in the past 70 years[/quote]
The main concern for many is what will happen when waters recede, as livelihoods of communities have been completely destroyed and there is no alternative way for them to make a living. This was apparent in one of the studies that WWF-Pakistan carried out in the Indus ecoregion in which productivity losses were estimated for the fisheries and livestock sectors of Sindh. According to the study, households in Chotiari, for example, incurred a loss of around PKR 70,000 because of floods alone. However, when it comes to fixing the situation, everyone blames our eastern neighbor for releasing billions of cusecs of water into our rivers. This is only part of the issue –the real problem lies within, as we have not developed any coordinated mechanism to deal with flood emergencies. One of the biggest reasons for this devastation is living and practicing agriculture in floodplains. The government has passed laws that prohibit any sort of development in floodplains but they are not being thoroughly implemented. As a result people encroach on floodplains and pond areas/wetlands, which also affect the environment and the biodiversity living there.
This year’s flood gave an important message for better management of floodplains, as dams aren’t the only solution to reduce the impacts of flooding. As our government does not have sufficient funding nor public support to initiate any dam, there’s a dire need to use traditional ways to deal with floods. This includes connecting rivers to wetlands which will help in reducing the impact of floods. After the floods of 2010, a Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) team visited the wetlands along the Indus River floodplains and shared its recommendations. This included presenting a practical and cost-effective solution to better manage floods, and regarded high priority wetlands as a means for storage of floodwater. It’s important to note that pond areas/wetlands not only serve as a hotspot for biodiversity but also help in floodplain management. China’s example can be followed in this case, as WWF-China achieved a landmark by reconnecting 40 wetlands to the Yangtze River.
Other than floodplain management, climate change mitigation is equally important, as over the past few years, we have become highly vulnerable to its impacts. A report by Oxfam in 2009 titled “Climate Change, Poverty and Environmental Crisis in the disaster prone areas of Pakistan” highlighted that 40% of Pakistan’s population is highly vulnerable to natural calamities. This report stressed immediate mitigation by government authorities but till now nothing has been done. The Kukuar and Baltar glaciers in the north have retreated by almost 8 kilometres each while the Daintar glacier has retreated by almost 2.5 km during the last 70 years. Also the problems of flash floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and landslides have become more frequent in the northern areas, whereas in the coastal regions sea intrusion, cyclones and reduced fish catch are the major issues.
The panorama of devastation
Climate change has lead to an annual sea level rise of 1.1 mm along with average annual increase in temperature by 0.12 degrees centigrade. All this requires urgent government attention.
Climate change is further fueled by deforestation. Trees store carbon and help in reducing carbon emissions; their lack leads to rise in temperature and causes glacial melt. This not only increases soil erosion but also the impact of flood water, allowing it to destroy everything that comes in its path.
In coastal areas, mangroves have proven to support the livelihood of poor fishermen communities, as they not only increase shrimp population but also serve as a defense shield against storms and cyclones. Mangroves also help in reducing the impacts of sea intrusion. Up to 50km of land in certain coastal areas was encroached upon till mangrove planting was provided as a solution by the WWF, which planted 7500 hectares of mangroves in the coastal areas of Sindh.
There is thus a need to establish a coordinating authority for sustainable management of the Indus River and its tributaries, which will help in reducing damages from floods.
It is completely useless, to visit flood-hit areas on state helicopters as our politicians are doing, and acting like James Bond by throwing aid among the needy. There’s a dire need to consider long-term flood management, a priority at par with other developmental issues and emphasize greater communication through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and vulnerable communities so that flood warnings can be effectively communicated. Building capacity to deal with climate change is also the need of the hour. This year’s flood reminds us to straighten our path and get things in the right direction or else continue facing the wrath of nature.
The writer is a freelance contributor to various publications. He tweets at @SyedMAbubakar and can be reached at smabubakar@wwf.org.pk
