KARACHI:
On 28 July 2021, the news of flash floods striking Islamabad made headlines nationwide. The cataclysmic townscape spawned considerable apprehension among the citizens since the capital city has never experienced a disaster of such magnitude before. Time and again, I have been urging the authorities to take prompt measures to address environmental issues via media platforms. Much to my disappointment, I have not seen any such government response which, if had been taken, would not have resulted in such a calamitous situation.
After the incident, countless videos that resurfaced on social media showed cars sweeping away like boats, and houses and commercial buildings inundated. What exacerbated the situation was the death of a woman and her son in the basement of their house after the authorities failed to reach on time.
When I delved deeper into the matter, I started hearing news of how climate change posed an imminent threat that needed to be prioritised. Some parties were quick to put the blame on rising temperatures and unpredictable wind patterns. But this only tells half the story.
The meteorological department had warned that the country was insufficiently geared to face the menace of expected heavy monsoon spells. Nevertheless, the authorities illustrated a slapdash attitude. It was the inability to take advanced precautionary measures and renovate the disintegrated infrastructure beforehand. The major cause of the inundation were the clogged-up drains and overflowing nullahs due to illegal construction works of housing schemes in the wake of unprecedented urbanisation and population explosion.
Regardless, it is pertinent to applaud the speedy action of DC Islamabad and his management to assuage the situation. By night, the Sanitation Directorate had cleared up the water with the help of cleaners, tractors and drain cleaners. Simultaneously, Wapda sorted out the electricity failure; although, the internet connection is still undergoing maintenance by the PTCL.
Soha Nisar
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2021.
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