seasonal monsoon rains cause flood disaster again in southern pakistan

SEASONAL MONSOON RAINS CAUSE FLOOD DISASTER AGAIN IN

SOUTHERN PAKISTANJANUARY 3, 2012

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

FLOOD DISASTERS

LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN

FLOODS

INUNDATION

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

CONTENTS DAMAGED BY WATER

WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH PROBLEMS)

EROSION AND MUDFLOWS

CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

RECOVERY MUST DEAL WITH

CASE HISTORIES

FLOOD DISASTER RECOVERY IS FACILITATED BY

PUBLIC POLICIES THAT INTEGRATE RESEARCH, SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE,

AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ON THE FOUR PILLARS OF DISASTER

RESILIENCE WITH THE

NATION’S POLITICAL PROCESS

PAKISTAN’S EXPERIENCE IN 2012

Another flood disaster

PAKISTAN: FLOOD ZONES

PAKISTAN: 2012 FLOODING

17 million people have been affected by the floods

triggered by heavy monsoon rains.

SOUTH PAKISTAN: Three cities in the Sindh Province along with at least 400,000

people been told to evacuate after heavy rains

IMPACTS TO DATE

• Over 1,000 dead.• 3 million hectares of farmland have

been destroyed along with crops of rice, maize, sugar, cane and cotton.• 116,000 farm animals killed• Approximately 5 million have been

left homeless, with no place to go

IMPACTS (continued)

• Millions have little or nothing to eat at present in spite of the government’s best efforts• The water is very dirty, and if

uncorrected, could create the potential for a healthcare disaster.

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

• THE GOVERNMENT’S STATED PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, AND GOVERNMENT FACILITIES FULLY FUNCTIONAL

• JAPAN, CHINA, AND THE USA HAVE PROMISED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE

EXPERIENCE IN 2011

One year after the historic flood disaster of 2010, widespread

flooding impacted Pakistan again, affected 5.2 million people and

killing at least 2,000

Summer floods are common in Pakistan as a result of

monsoon rains that typically swell rivers and streams

across the country.

EXPERIENCE IN 2010

NORTHWEST PAKISTAN (AND AFGHANISTAN) HIT BY FLASH FLOODS AFTER PROLONGED

MONSOON RAINS

JULY 28 - AUGUST 2, 2010

2010’s floods following monsoon rains were the

worst in 80 years and set new records.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: INUNDATED

MUZAFFARABAD: RISING FLOOD WATERS

THOUSANDS OF MUD BRICK HOMES COLLAPSED

NOWSHERA: DAMAGED MUD HOUSE

COLLAPSED HOUSE

TRYING TO DIVERT WATER

SOME LIVESTOCK WERE SAVED, BUT THOUSANDS DROWNED

PESHAWAR: MELONS BECAME PRECIOUS

CLINGING TO DEBRIS

NOWSHERA: SEEKING HIGHER GROUND

SEEKING HIGHER GROUND

SEEKING A SAFE HAVEN

CHARSADDA: TRYING TO EVACUATE

EVACUATION: CARRYING SELECTED POSSESSIONS

NOWSHERA: EVACUATION

NOWSHERA: EVACUATION TO A SAFE HAVEN

EVACUATION IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT TASK

MUZAFFARABAD: INADEQUATE TEMPORARY SHELTER

30,000 Pakistani troops rescued 28,000 people using helicopters and other means, and distributed water

and food.

NOWSHERA: PAKISTANI ARMY DISTRIBUTING WATER