The much-awaited monsoon season is both a blessing and a curse for our country and its citizens. This year, the Met office has forecasted 20% more rain during the monsoon season, bringing with it potential threats of flooding, disease, accidents, and other issues. While our government is occupied with handling the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, this looming natural disaster should also be under their radar.
If the government fails to respond in a timely manner, we will find ourselves dealing with problems that could have been prevented. Floods not only destroy crops and infrastructure; they also lead to the displacement of the millions that are affected. In cities, heavy rains lead to roads being flooded which greatly increases the threat of electrocutions owing to exposed poles and stray wires. Karachi so far has been most prone to deaths by electrocution during the monsoon season, exposing the crumbling infrastructure in both the cities of Karachi and Peshawar.
This is only the beginning of what is yet to come. Therefore, I plead to the government to sit with all the provincial stakeholders and devise a solid disaster management programme that deals with these annual torrential rains. We have already seen too many precious lives lost as a result of poor planning and negligence. It is time that we change our old ways and start planning ahead instead of struggling when the disaster hits.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2020.
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