Are Catastrophic Floods The New Normal In Pakistan News Explainer

Twelve years later, massive flooding has left analysts and political leaders scrambling for new adjectives to aptly describe the devastation wrought by monsoon rains, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the flood “seasonal”. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that more rain may occur this month. The government has declared a national emergency and has desperately appealed for urgent aid from the international community, which is already suffering from donor fatigue. While the UN has pledged $160 million and other countries have pledged aid, government officials say the floods have caused an estimated “damage of at least $10 billion.”

What is the extent of the damage?

The South Asian nation of more than 220 million people is facing what is arguably its biggest humanitarian crisis. By the end of August, nearly 1,200 people had died since monsoon rains began in mid-June. More than a third of the country is still submerged and at least 33 million people are affected. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) puts the number of affected areas at 72 out of a total of 160. The NDMA estimates damage to more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) of roads, 10 million homes partially or completely destroyed, and the death of 700,000 animals, often people’s only means of livelihood. The southern province of Sindh remains the worst affected. By August 30, the NDMA said at least 405 people, including 160 children, had died there. More than 14 million people in the province are “badly affected”, of whom only 377,000 are currently living in camps. The southwestern province of Balochistan – Pakistan’s largest but also poorest – is also in turmoil. More than nine million people have been forced from their homes, but only 7,000 have been provided shelter in camps.

What caused the floods?

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change-induced disasters, yet the country is responsible for less than 1 percent of the planet’s global warming gases. Extreme weather conditions have left the country in a precarious position where weather conditions are no longer predictable. Earlier this year, the country faced unprecedented heatwaves and months-long drought in Sindh and Balochistan. Only a few months later, Pakistan broke its decades-old rainfall record with the two provinces receiving 500 percent more rainfall than the annual average. Sara Hayat, a Lahore-based climate change lawyer and policy expert, told Al Jazeera to ascertain what caused the devastating floods, one must look at a pyramid of factors with global climate change at the core. Hayat said the flooding was caused by excessive torrential rain, as well as melting glaciers in the north of the country. “Pakistan generally receives three to four monsoon cycles,” he said. “This year we have already received eight and there are predictions that the rain will continue until October. This is extremely unusual.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an Islamabad-based climate change analyst, told Al Jazeera that unlike the 2010 floods which were riverine in nature, this year we saw many types overlapping each other which led to “so much devastation across the country ». Sheikh highlighted urban flooding, flash floods, glacial lake outbursts as well as cloudbursts as some of the different types of floods that will hit the country, all linked to climate change activity. “These are not routine floods. In fact, this year we had no river floods at all. This is perhaps the first time we have climate change affecting monsoon patterns. Only time will tell if it was a freak event of nature or if it becomes more routine,” he said. Hayat said that while it is easy to blame the government, preparing for this scale of flooding was always going to be a difficult task.

How do these floods compare to 2010?

While monsoon rains lashed the country since June, it was not until late July that the intensity and extent became clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has since called the flooding “unprecedented” and Sherry Rehman, the climate change minister, has described the situation as the worst in living memory. When asked if these floods are worse than 2010, Hayat replied “100 percent.” “These floods displaced 20 million people. This year the floods are not over and we have already estimated at least 33 million people who have been seriously affected. The full extent of the devastation will only emerge in the coming months when the water begins to recede,” he said. Shahrukh Wani, an economist at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, agreed that given the scale of this year’s floods it would “either match or exceed the damage caused by the 2010 floods”. “Unlike 2010, global conditions are very different right now. “Much of the global aid dynamic is focused on Ukraine and many developed countries are themselves facing economic crises at home, which may mean that Pakistan will have less international support than in 2010,” Wani told Al Jazeera.

What are the challenges ahead?

At a time when the country is already reeling from inflation and just averted a default after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $1.17 billion in funds, a once-in-a-lifetime flood was the last thing in the southern nation Asia is required. Added to this volatile mix is ​​persistent political instability, exacerbated after the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in April. Sharif recently told international media that he is willing to sit down with former prime minister Imran Khan to find a way to address the plight of flood victims. Hayat said it is imperative that political warfare stops and priorities adjust to meet the daunting challenge of reconstruction. “One of the biggest challenges we will face is when the country enters the election cycle. When that happens, you start thinking only about politics. But it is essential that flood relief efforts and the rehabilitation of the affected population accompany all political discussions in the country.” Wani said Pakistan would suffer a “catastrophic” economic impact due to the floods. “There is the immediate impact of damaged food crops, homes, roads and livestock. This affects both the people directly affected by the flood by wiping out their household wealth, and the people in the big cities through increasing the cost of food,” he said. Pakistan faces a “very difficult winter ahead” as it will need money for a “national reconstruction effort after the floods, meeting the demands set by the IMF program, competing with Europe to secure natural gas imports and mitigating of the impact of rising food inflation,” Wani warned. But the biggest challenge for Sheikh is whether floods like this year’s will become a regular feature rather than a one-off. “The worst case scenario would be to get multiple types of flooding that we’ve had this year plus the river flooding together. The devastation would be unimaginable,” he said. Flood management strategies need to be reoriented to become more robust and climate-smart, Sheikh said. “The first objective is that we have to protect our community and not grant permits that allow construction on riverbanks, river shoulders. No amount of money or any technology can save the structure that is built next to the river,” he said.

title: “Are Catastrophic Floods The New Normal In Pakistan News Explainer Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-09” author: “Bruno Billings”

Twelve years later, massive flooding has left analysts and political leaders scrambling for new adjectives to aptly describe the devastation wrought by monsoon rains, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the flood “seasonal”. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that more rain may occur this month. The government has declared a national emergency and has desperately appealed for urgent aid from the international community, which is already suffering from donor fatigue. While the UN has pledged $160 million and other countries have pledged aid, government officials say the floods have caused an estimated “damage of at least $10 billion.”

What is the extent of the damage?

The South Asian nation of more than 220 million people is facing what is arguably its biggest humanitarian crisis. By the end of August, nearly 1,200 people had died since monsoon rains began in mid-June. More than a third of the country is still submerged and at least 33 million people are affected. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) puts the number of affected areas at 72 out of a total of 160. The NDMA estimates damage to more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) of roads, 10 million homes partially or completely destroyed, and the death of 700,000 animals, often people’s only means of livelihood. The southern province of Sindh remains the worst affected. By August 30, the NDMA said at least 405 people, including 160 children, had died there. More than 14 million people in the province are “badly affected”, of whom only 377,000 are currently living in camps. The southwestern province of Balochistan – Pakistan’s largest but also poorest – is also in turmoil. More than nine million people have been forced from their homes, but only 7,000 have been provided shelter in camps.

What caused the floods?

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change-induced disasters, yet the country is responsible for less than 1 percent of the planet’s global warming gases. Extreme weather conditions have left the country in a precarious position where weather conditions are no longer predictable. Earlier this year, the country faced unprecedented heatwaves and months-long drought in Sindh and Balochistan. Only a few months later, Pakistan broke its decades-old rainfall record with the two provinces receiving 500 percent more rainfall than the annual average. Sara Hayat, a Lahore-based climate change lawyer and policy expert, told Al Jazeera to ascertain what caused the devastating floods, one must look at a pyramid of factors with global climate change at the core. Hayat said the flooding was caused by excessive torrential rain, as well as melting glaciers in the north of the country. “Pakistan generally receives three to four monsoon cycles,” he said. “This year we have already received eight and there are predictions that the rain will continue until October. This is extremely unusual.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an Islamabad-based climate change analyst, told Al Jazeera that unlike the 2010 floods which were riverine in nature, this year we saw many types overlapping each other which led to “so much devastation across the country ». Sheikh highlighted urban flooding, flash floods, glacial lake outbursts as well as cloudbursts as some of the different types of floods that will hit the country, all linked to climate change activity. “These are not routine floods. In fact, this year we had no river floods at all. This is perhaps the first time we have climate change affecting monsoon patterns. Only time will tell if it was a freak event of nature or if it becomes more routine,” he said. Hayat said that while it is easy to blame the government, preparing for this scale of flooding was always going to be a difficult task.

How do these floods compare to 2010?

While monsoon rains lashed the country since June, it was not until late July that the intensity and extent became clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has since called the flooding “unprecedented” and Sherry Rehman, the climate change minister, has described the situation as the worst in living memory. When asked if these floods are worse than 2010, Hayat replied “100 percent.” “These floods displaced 20 million people. This year the floods are not over and we have already estimated at least 33 million people who have been seriously affected. The full extent of the devastation will only emerge in the coming months when the water begins to recede,” he said. Shahrukh Wani, an economist at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, agreed that given the scale of this year’s floods it would “either match or exceed the damage caused by the 2010 floods”. “Unlike 2010, global conditions are very different right now. “Much of the global aid dynamic is focused on Ukraine and many developed countries are themselves facing economic crises at home, which may mean that Pakistan will have less international support than in 2010,” Wani told Al Jazeera.

What are the challenges ahead?

At a time when the country is already reeling from inflation and just averted a default after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $1.17 billion in funds, a once-in-a-lifetime flood was the last thing in the southern nation Asia is required. Added to this volatile mix is ​​persistent political instability, exacerbated after the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in April. Sharif recently told international media that he is willing to sit down with former prime minister Imran Khan to find a way to address the plight of flood victims. Hayat said it is imperative that political warfare stops and priorities adjust to meet the daunting challenge of reconstruction. “One of the biggest challenges we will face is when the country enters the election cycle. When that happens, you start thinking only about politics. But it is essential that flood relief efforts and the rehabilitation of the affected population accompany all political discussions in the country.” Wani said Pakistan would suffer a “catastrophic” economic impact due to the floods. “There is the immediate impact of damaged food crops, homes, roads and livestock. This affects both the people directly affected by the flood by wiping out their household wealth, and the people in the big cities through increasing the cost of food,” he said. Pakistan faces a “very difficult winter ahead” as it will need money for a “national reconstruction effort after the floods, meeting the demands set by the IMF program, competing with Europe to secure natural gas imports and mitigating of the impact of rising food inflation,” Wani warned. But the biggest challenge for Sheikh is whether floods like this year’s will become a regular feature rather than a one-off. “The worst case scenario would be to get multiple types of flooding that we’ve had this year plus the river flooding together. The devastation would be unimaginable,” he said. Flood management strategies need to be reoriented to become more robust and climate-smart, Sheikh said. “The first objective is that we have to protect our community and not grant permits that allow construction on riverbanks, river shoulders. No amount of money or any technology can save the structure that is built next to the river,” he said.

title: “Are Catastrophic Floods The New Normal In Pakistan News Explainer Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-14” author: “Michael Messer”

Twelve years later, massive flooding has left analysts and political leaders scrambling for new adjectives to aptly describe the devastation wrought by monsoon rains, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the flood “seasonal”. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that more rain may occur this month. The government has declared a national emergency and has desperately appealed for urgent aid from the international community, which is already suffering from donor fatigue. While the UN has pledged $160 million and other countries have pledged aid, government officials say the floods have caused an estimated “damage of at least $10 billion.”

What is the extent of the damage?

The South Asian nation of more than 220 million people is facing what is arguably its biggest humanitarian crisis. By the end of August, nearly 1,200 people had died since monsoon rains began in mid-June. More than a third of the country is still submerged and at least 33 million people are affected. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) puts the number of affected areas at 72 out of a total of 160. The NDMA estimates damage to more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) of roads, 10 million homes partially or completely destroyed, and the death of 700,000 animals, often people’s only means of livelihood. The southern province of Sindh remains the worst affected. By August 30, the NDMA said at least 405 people, including 160 children, had died there. More than 14 million people in the province are “badly affected”, of whom only 377,000 are currently living in camps. The southwestern province of Balochistan – Pakistan’s largest but also poorest – is also in turmoil. More than nine million people have been forced from their homes, but only 7,000 have been provided shelter in camps.

What caused the floods?

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change-induced disasters, yet the country is responsible for less than 1 percent of the planet’s global warming gases. Extreme weather conditions have left the country in a precarious position where weather conditions are no longer predictable. Earlier this year, the country faced unprecedented heatwaves and months-long drought in Sindh and Balochistan. Only a few months later, Pakistan broke its decades-old rainfall record with the two provinces receiving 500 percent more rainfall than the annual average. Sara Hayat, a Lahore-based climate change lawyer and policy expert, told Al Jazeera to ascertain what caused the devastating floods, one must look at a pyramid of factors with global climate change at the core. Hayat said the flooding was caused by excessive torrential rain, as well as melting glaciers in the north of the country. “Pakistan generally receives three to four monsoon cycles,” he said. “This year we have already received eight and there are predictions that the rain will continue until October. This is extremely unusual.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an Islamabad-based climate change analyst, told Al Jazeera that unlike the 2010 floods which were riverine in nature, this year we saw many types overlapping each other which led to “so much devastation across the country ». Sheikh highlighted urban flooding, flash floods, glacial lake outbursts as well as cloudbursts as some of the different types of floods that will hit the country, all linked to climate change activity. “These are not routine floods. In fact, this year we had no river floods at all. This is perhaps the first time we have climate change affecting monsoon patterns. Only time will tell if it was a freak event of nature or if it becomes more routine,” he said. Hayat said that while it is easy to blame the government, preparing for this scale of flooding was always going to be a difficult task.

How do these floods compare to 2010?

While monsoon rains lashed the country since June, it was not until late July that the intensity and extent became clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has since called the flooding “unprecedented” and Sherry Rehman, the climate change minister, has described the situation as the worst in living memory. When asked if these floods are worse than 2010, Hayat replied “100 percent.” “These floods displaced 20 million people. This year the floods are not over and we have already estimated at least 33 million people who have been seriously affected. The full extent of the devastation will only emerge in the coming months when the water begins to recede,” he said. Shahrukh Wani, an economist at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, agreed that given the scale of this year’s floods it would “either match or exceed the damage caused by the 2010 floods”. “Unlike 2010, global conditions are very different right now. “Much of the global aid dynamic is focused on Ukraine and many developed countries are themselves facing economic crises at home, which may mean that Pakistan will have less international support than in 2010,” Wani told Al Jazeera.

What are the challenges ahead?

At a time when the country is already reeling from inflation and just averted a default after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $1.17 billion in funds, a once-in-a-lifetime flood was the last thing in the southern nation Asia is required. Added to this volatile mix is ​​persistent political instability, exacerbated after the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in April. Sharif recently told international media that he is willing to sit down with former prime minister Imran Khan to find a way to address the plight of flood victims. Hayat said it is imperative that political warfare stops and priorities adjust to meet the daunting challenge of reconstruction. “One of the biggest challenges we will face is when the country enters the election cycle. When that happens, you start thinking only about politics. But it is essential that flood relief efforts and the rehabilitation of the affected population accompany all political discussions in the country.” Wani said Pakistan would suffer a “catastrophic” economic impact due to the floods. “There is the immediate impact of damaged food crops, homes, roads and livestock. This affects both the people directly affected by the flood by wiping out their household wealth, and the people in the big cities through increasing the cost of food,” he said. Pakistan faces a “very difficult winter ahead” as it will need money for a “national reconstruction effort after the floods, meeting the demands set by the IMF program, competing with Europe to secure natural gas imports and mitigating of the impact of rising food inflation,” Wani warned. But the biggest challenge for Sheikh is whether floods like this year’s will become a regular feature rather than a one-off. “The worst case scenario would be to get multiple types of flooding that we’ve had this year plus the river flooding together. The devastation would be unimaginable,” he said. Flood management strategies need to be reoriented to become more robust and climate-smart, Sheikh said. “The first objective is that we have to protect our community and not grant permits that allow construction on riverbanks, river shoulders. No amount of money or any technology can save the structure that is built next to the river,” he said.

title: “Are Catastrophic Floods The New Normal In Pakistan News Explainer Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-07” author: “Judith Chandler”

Twelve years later, massive flooding has left analysts and political leaders scrambling for new adjectives to aptly describe the devastation wrought by monsoon rains, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the flood “seasonal”. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that more rain may occur this month. The government has declared a national emergency and has desperately appealed for urgent aid from the international community, which is already suffering from donor fatigue. While the UN has pledged $160 million and other countries have pledged aid, government officials say the floods have caused an estimated “damage of at least $10 billion.”

What is the extent of the damage?

The South Asian nation of more than 220 million people is facing what is arguably its biggest humanitarian crisis. By the end of August, nearly 1,200 people had died since monsoon rains began in mid-June. More than a third of the country is still submerged and at least 33 million people are affected. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) puts the number of affected areas at 72 out of a total of 160. The NDMA estimates damage to more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) of roads, 10 million homes partially or completely destroyed, and the death of 700,000 animals, often people’s only means of livelihood. The southern province of Sindh remains the worst affected. By August 30, the NDMA said at least 405 people, including 160 children, had died there. More than 14 million people in the province are “badly affected”, of whom only 377,000 are currently living in camps. The southwestern province of Balochistan – Pakistan’s largest but also poorest – is also in turmoil. More than nine million people have been forced from their homes, but only 7,000 have been provided shelter in camps.

What caused the floods?

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change-induced disasters, yet the country is responsible for less than 1 percent of the planet’s global warming gases. Extreme weather conditions have left the country in a precarious position where weather conditions are no longer predictable. Earlier this year, the country faced unprecedented heatwaves and months-long drought in Sindh and Balochistan. Only a few months later, Pakistan broke its decades-old rainfall record with the two provinces receiving 500 percent more rainfall than the annual average. Sara Hayat, a Lahore-based climate change lawyer and policy expert, told Al Jazeera to ascertain what caused the devastating floods, one must look at a pyramid of factors with global climate change at the core. Hayat said the flooding was caused by excessive torrential rain, as well as melting glaciers in the north of the country. “Pakistan generally receives three to four monsoon cycles,” he said. “This year we have already received eight and there are predictions that the rain will continue until October. This is extremely unusual.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an Islamabad-based climate change analyst, told Al Jazeera that unlike the 2010 floods which were riverine in nature, this year we saw many types overlapping each other which led to “so much devastation across the country ». Sheikh highlighted urban flooding, flash floods, glacial lake outbursts as well as cloudbursts as some of the different types of floods that will hit the country, all linked to climate change activity. “These are not routine floods. In fact, this year we had no river floods at all. This is perhaps the first time we have climate change affecting monsoon patterns. Only time will tell if it was a freak event of nature or if it becomes more routine,” he said. Hayat said that while it is easy to blame the government, preparing for this scale of flooding was always going to be a difficult task.

How do these floods compare to 2010?

While monsoon rains lashed the country since June, it was not until late July that the intensity and extent became clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has since called the flooding “unprecedented” and Sherry Rehman, the climate change minister, has described the situation as the worst in living memory. When asked if these floods are worse than 2010, Hayat replied “100 percent.” “These floods displaced 20 million people. This year the floods are not over and we have already estimated at least 33 million people who have been seriously affected. The full extent of the devastation will only emerge in the coming months when the water begins to recede,” he said. Shahrukh Wani, an economist at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, agreed that given the scale of this year’s floods it would “either match or exceed the damage caused by the 2010 floods”. “Unlike 2010, global conditions are very different right now. “Much of the global aid dynamic is focused on Ukraine and many developed countries are themselves facing economic crises at home, which may mean that Pakistan will have less international support than in 2010,” Wani told Al Jazeera.

What are the challenges ahead?

At a time when the country is already reeling from inflation and just averted a default after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $1.17 billion in funds, a once-in-a-lifetime flood was the last thing in the southern nation Asia is required. Added to this volatile mix is ​​persistent political instability, exacerbated after the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in April. Sharif recently told international media that he is willing to sit down with former prime minister Imran Khan to find a way to address the plight of flood victims. Hayat said it is imperative that political warfare stops and priorities adjust to meet the daunting challenge of reconstruction. “One of the biggest challenges we will face is when the country enters the election cycle. When that happens, you start thinking only about politics. But it is essential that flood relief efforts and the rehabilitation of the affected population accompany all political discussions in the country.” Wani said Pakistan would suffer a “catastrophic” economic impact due to the floods. “There is the immediate impact of damaged food crops, homes, roads and livestock. This affects both the people directly affected by the flood by wiping out their household wealth, and the people in the big cities through increasing the cost of food,” he said. Pakistan faces a “very difficult winter ahead” as it will need money for a “national reconstruction effort after the floods, meeting the demands set by the IMF program, competing with Europe to secure natural gas imports and mitigating of the impact of rising food inflation,” Wani warned. But the biggest challenge for Sheikh is whether floods like this year’s will become a regular feature rather than a one-off. “The worst case scenario would be to get multiple types of flooding that we’ve had this year plus the river flooding together. The devastation would be unimaginable,” he said. Flood management strategies need to be reoriented to become more robust and climate-smart, Sheikh said. “The first objective is that we have to protect our community and not grant permits that allow construction on riverbanks, river shoulders. No amount of money or any technology can save the structure that is built next to the river,” he said.