Pakistan has initiated a massive evacuation effort, moving tens of thousands of people from low-lying areas along the border with India after New Delhi released water from overflowing dams and swollen rivers.
This move comes as heavy monsoon rains continue to batter both countries, resulting in at least 800 fatalities in Pakistan since late June.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan reported that rescuers evacuated over 14,000 people from Kasur and approximately 89,000 from the city of Bahawalnagar, near the Indian border.
“Rescuers evacuated more than 14,000 people from Kasur, while about 89,000 were moved to safer ground from the city of Bahawalnagar,” the NDMA stated.
The flood alert was conveyed to Pakistan through diplomatic channels, marking the first public diplomatic contact between the two countries since a four-day war in May.
The Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 World Bank-brokered agreement, was supposed to govern water sharing between the two nations, but India walked out of the treaty after blaming Pakistan for the April killing of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Pakistan’s susceptibility to climate change has led to multiple cloudburst floods and above-normal rainfall in recent months. In the northwest, residents of Buner district complained of receiving no warning before flash floods struck, killing over 300 people.
Officials attributed the devastation to a sudden cloudburst, which couldn’t be predicted, and noted that many victims lived along natural water pathways.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned of further flooding, landslides, and crop losses in the coming weeks.
Climate scientists attribute the intense flooding to higher-intensity rainfall, exacerbated by climate change. “Climate change is causing monsoon rainfall to intensify, resulting in more frequent extreme precipitation events,” said Ayyoob Sharifi, a professor at Hiroshima University.
The humanitarian crisis in Pakistan is dire, with over 700 people killed and thousands displaced. The country faces significant challenges in managing floods, including inadequate infrastructure, deforestation, and poor river management. The international community has expressed solidarity with Pakistan, and the UN Country Teams are ready to provide assistance.
Evacuation Efforts and Casualties
- Over 103,000 people evacuated from Kasur and Bahawalnagar districts
- At least 800 people reported killed in Pakistan since late June
- 300 people killed in Buner district due to flash floods
- Thousands displaced and homes destroyed in various districts
The situation in Pakistan demands urgent attention and support from the international community to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve disaster management.
