Islamabad: Torrential monsoon rains and flash floods have unleashed devastation across Pakistan’s northern and upper areas, killing at least 210 people and injuring more than 500 in recent weeks, according to disaster management authorities.
The flooding has washed away roads, bridges, homes, and public infrastructure, once again highlighting the country’s deep vulnerability to extreme weather events—an issue successive governments have failed to adequately prepare for.
Worst-Hit Areas
The districts of Swat, Chitral, Upper Dir, Kohistan, Gilgit, Ghizer, Hunza, and Skardu have borne the brunt of the disaster. In Swat, swollen rivers swept away link roads and left entire valleys cut off. In Kohistan, agricultural fields and irrigation channels were submerged, while Gilgit-Baltistan saw destructive cloudbursts that inundated villages within minutes. Thousands of people remain displaced, with temporary shelters set up in schools and community centers.
Electricity transmission lines collapsed under landslides, water supply systems broke down, and hundreds of mud-brick homes crumbled. Farmers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan have lost standing crops, further compounding the economic toll that already runs into billions of rupees.
Reasons Behind the Crisis
Experts argue that the destruction is not solely the result of heavy rainfall but also decades of poor planning and neglect. Successive governments have repeatedly overlooked:
Unregulated urban expansion into floodplains and riverbeds, leaving communities exposed to disaster.
Weak enforcement of building codes, with infrastructure often unable to withstand extreme weather.
Deforestation in northern regions, which has reduced natural flood barriers and increased soil erosion.
Failure to invest in resilient infrastructure, such as stormwater drainage systems, embankments, and modern dams.
Slow adaptation to climate change, despite repeated warnings that Pakistan ranks among the most climate-vulnerable countries globally.
Climate change has amplified the crisis, with unpredictable and more intense rainfall patterns, accelerated glacial melt in the Himalayas, and frequent cloudbursts. Yet, long-term adaptation strategies, such as watershed management, reforestation, and community-based disaster preparedness, remain largely absent.
Echoes of Sindh’s 2022 Floods
The current devastation draws grim parallels with the catastrophic floods of 2022, which submerged almost one-third of Sindh. That disaster killed over 1,700 people nationwide, displaced 33 million, and inflicted economic damages exceeding $30 billion. Districts like Dadu, Larkana, Khairpur, and Qambar-Shahdadkot were among the hardest hit, with entire villages underwater for weeks and vast farmland destroyed.
Despite pledges to “build back better,” much of the promised climate adaptation and infrastructure strengthening never materialized. The ongoing floods in the North show how the same vulnerabilities—ignored in Sindh—are now repeating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
What Pakistan Must Do
Rehabilitating the affected areas will require more than emergency relief—it demands structural reforms and a long-term vision. Experts say Pakistan must urgently:
Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure – building stronger roads, bridges, and drainage systems designed for extreme weather.
Implement land-use planning – preventing settlements and construction in vulnerable floodplains.
Strengthen disaster management institutions – with better forecasting, early warning systems, and rapid response mechanisms.
Launch large-scale reforestation and watershed projects – to restore natural defenses against floods and landslides.
Mobilize international climate finance – leveraging Pakistan’s position as one of the most affected countries to secure funding for adaptation and rehabilitation.
Engage communities in resilience-building – through local training, preparedness programs, and livelihood diversification.
A Wake-Up Call The destruction in the North is a stark reminder that climate-related disasters are no longer isolated events but recurring realities. Unless Pakistan addresses the root causes—weak governance, poor planning, and climate neglect—the cycle of destruction and rebuilding will continue, leaving communities permanently vulnerable. – ER Report
