Ravaging floods and the subsequent devastation have become an annual phenomenon in countries like Pakistan. This year too, flood-prone areas across this South Asian nation are facing backlash of an intense monsoon season. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan as well as interior Sindh and some parts of Balochistan are badly hit by flash floods. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has shared some current figures of the devastation. According to the authority, a total of 196 persons were killed in the current month of August while 363 people were injured in incidents related to flood disasters. It was reported that a total of 2234 houses were collapsed while infrastructure comprising roads and bridges were also destroyed due to recent natural disaster.
Instead of expressing sympathies, senior govt officials must take practical steps to avert losses caused by natural disasters
Amid reports that weather experts had already warned of intense torrential rains and flash floods in various regions. The annihilation of life and property during the current monsoon season is regrettable. It is also a fact that people are helpless against recurring natural disasters. However, vulnerable infrastructure and human lives can be saved through pre-emptive measures. In case of floods and landslides in susceptible areas, most of the damage is caused by deadly incidents of roof collapses and inundation. Currently, a large portion of the population is braving the wrath of floods as Pakistan is counted among the states, which are most affected by the climate change. Many areas have been cut off and it has become an uphill task for the government to continue the rescue mission in far off areas of Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where people are stranded and looking for food and shelter.
Due to recent floods, not only houses and buildings have been collapsed, but roads and bridges have also been destroyed. It is not an easy task for the authorities to make a full assessment of all the losses and compensate victim families. The recurring flood related crises have become a curse for the country. The uncountable miseries of the masses continue to pile up each year due to such disasters. The authorities’ concerned need to take pre-emptive measures to save people living in underdeveloped villages and small towns established near banks of the rivers prone to flooding. There is a need to take solid steps for the safety of these areas by installing flood protections and reinforcing bunds and dykes. If the construction of big dams is a costly job, the government can build large reservoirs of waters to avert bigger tragedies.
Govt has to come up with a strategy for averting disasters to stop endless cycle of devastation, overcome costs on rebuilding infrastructure
If the government wants to stop this endless cycle of devastation and overcome exorbitant costs on rebuilding the infrastructure, it has to come up with a strategy for averting the yearly basis weather disasters. The practice of carrying out the last-minute emergency relief operations must come to an end now. The rescue and relief operations should not be limited to usual helicopter visits by high profile government functionaries to disaster-hit areas. Interestingly, weather patterns are changing but our policies have not changed considerably. Arguably, there is a lack of coordination between the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) in the face of unforeseen weather patterns. Also, the masses are unaware on how to deal with the situation after every flood tragedy. Uncontrolled and ill-planned sprawl of villages and towns result in bigger disasters and other civic problems.
Although nobody can avert these natural disasters, yet certain pre-emptive measure could decrease the scale of devastation. A building code needs to be formulated and implemented in the letter and spirit across the country. Global warming is causing melting of glaciers, which resultantly creates floods. All irrigation and flood related infrastructure need to be strengthened to tackle an increased volume of water. Long term measures need to be taken to enable the irrigation system to handle the increased water flow. Another troubling fact is that factors responsible for maintaining an environmental balance are being ignored. Trees play a key role in ensuring this balance; however, massive deforestation across the country has multiplied our environment-related miseries. A lack of preparedness increases magnitude of the losses. Every year, floods wreak havoc in towns and villages near the rivers. Even some people have started setting up their houses on the river beds. These encroachments are swept by the floods when water comes in abundance.
Practice of carrying out last-minute emergency relief operations must come to an end now
Awareness needs to be created among the general public to never ever build their houses on the river beds or areas where floods wreak havoc every year. Conclusively, the main responsibility lies on the government to protect the masses from these devastating floods beforehand. Urban planning is a science and the authorities need to adopt modern means for protecting the general public. It is a reckless approach on part of the officials to not get themselves prepared for tackling natural disasters. If they will not change their approach, they will continue to scramble to rebuild and evacuate the affected areas after each disaster. Also, the disaster management authorities need to hire skilled workforce and acquire modern equipment to deal with disasters instead of relying on volunteers and the military personnel to help evacuate people and mitigate the damages. The government should not rely on expressing sympathies with the victims. Rather practical steps need to be taken for averting losses caused by natural disasters.
