A year after a massive deluge ravaged the South Asian nation, the monsoon rainfall pummeling parts of Pakistan are raising concerns about urban flooding and the nation’s preparedness.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued warnings on Sunday that heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue for several days, heightening the risk of flooding in regions still recuperating from the previous disaster.
Last year, Pakistan experienced its worst floods due to man-made climate change, which submerged a third of the country, killed at least 1,700 people, and caused over $30 billion in damages.
The Meteorological Department forecasts that the monsoon rainfall, which began on Monday, will continue through the end of the week. Along with moist currents from the Arabian Sea, a westerly wave is anticipated to penetrate the upper regions of Pakistan, resulting in rain or thunderstorms in various regions.
According to the report, cities such as the capital Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore are at risk of flooding as a result of the excessive rainfall, while vulnerable regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are at risk of landslides. The department advised authorities to maintain a high level of vigilance.
Even though the monsoon season has only just begun, large portions of Pakistan that are still recovering from last year’s flooding have been repeatedly struck by flooding and torrential downpours in the last few weeks, raising concerns about the country’s preparedness.
In June, authorities reported at least 25 deaths and 145 injuries caused by torrential downpours and flooding in various regions of Pakistan. In addition, eleven fatalities were attributed to lightning strikes.
Late in June, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms flooded roads and hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, disrupting public life.
PNN, a Pakistani news network, shared a video of a hospital flooded with water, whereas locals shared videos of flooded bridges and highways.
Earlier, tens of thousands of people in Sindh’s low lying areas, who also survived last year’s catastrophic floods, were evacuated and relocated as a result of cyclone Biparjoy, which pummeled India and Pakistan with heavy rainfall.
Due to climate change, South Asian nations including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have been experiencing more intense heatwaves and monsoons. According to experts, the monsoon is becoming increasingly erratic, bringing above-average precipitation in a brief period after longer dry spells.
Climate change increased the likelihood of Pakistan’s devastating floods last year, as the country experienced intense rainfall over a brief period and glaciers melted, causing rivers to overflow.
However, scientists also identified inadequate infrastructure and the early warning system as factors that increased the country’s vulnerability.
Pakistan is one of the most susceptible nations to the intensification of extreme weather events, despite contributing less than one percent of global warming greenhouse gas emissions.
Reconstruction is estimated to cost approximately $16.3 billion, and international donors have pledged over $9 billion to assist in recovery efforts.
