The forgotten fraction and floods

The attention around the recent unprecedented climate catastrophe is slowly dying. The torrential rains during July and August 2022 triggered the most severe floods in Pakistan’s recent history, claiming thousands of lives and washing away homes, livestock, crops and infrastructures. With no pathway for water drainage, the 33 million people displaced are in need of assistance and at an increased risk of waterborne diseases and malnutrition.

Sindh, with over 50 million people, remains the hardest hit by the recent floods. According to the data from Pakistan’s Meteorological Department, Sindh received 726% higher rainfall than the monthly average in August alone. Shocking satellite images by NASA reveal a 100km wide inland lake in the flood affected areas of the province. The national response — social solidarity displayed by national as well as overseas citizens — towards emergency relief efforts has served as a basis of endurance during times of crisis.

The relief efforts are focused on the population displaced by the devastating floods. However, there is a sub-set of this population, often underrepresented, poor and marginalised — largely forgotten fraction — those languishing in prisons within the flood affected areas of Sindh. In Sindh, 19 prison facilities are located in flood affected areas. Combating the danger of floods requires emergency planning, cessation of everyday procedure, lockdowns and occasionally evacuations. According to the population statement of Sindh prisons on 15th Sept 2022, the cumulative population of these 19 prison facilities comes is 8,542 prisoners who are largely dependent on the prison administration and staff to ensure that their health and safety needs are met during natural disasters.

Unlike people in the community, they lack agency to make their own decisions which heightens their inherent vulnerability. These prisoners therefore not only face the immediate threats of the hazard itself but also the impact of these events on prison infrastructure, staffing and the provision of basic goods and services. Research conducted on needs assessment and damages by the 2011 flood in Pakistan by the Asian Development Bank and World Bank revealed that the floods damaged 14 prisons, 137 police facilities and 24 courts. There was complete damage to three prisons and partial damage to 11 prisons. Unofficial reports from grounds cite the damages caused by recent floods to prison facilities, damaged barracks, official records, infrastructure and in some cases transfer of prisoners — which in itself is a security threat.

Despite these figures from previous flood damages and recent developments, relief response does not prioritise prison facilities. The unique needs of older persons, prisoners with disabilities, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children incarcerated with their mothers remain either largely ignored or completely unmet. Sindh Prison & Corrections Service Act and Rules 2019 makes provision of temporary accommodation in case of emergencies under rule 618 and provisions about the sources of water supply, protection of wells/tanks, supply of water to prisoner and analysis of water under rule 628, 629, 630 and 631. However, the emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction response of prisons which address the vulnerabilities, specific needs and circumstances of prisons and people in prisons needs serious evaluation.

The impact of the recent floods is still unfolding and the magnitude of the disaster is yet to be realised. Such disastrous weather changes will only become more frequent owing to climate change. Therefore, the prison department should have an emergency preparedness plan in place to ensure that prisons maintain essential functions in the case of a climate emergency. Moreover PDMA and NDMA should ensure budgetary allocations to repair the damages in the prisons caused by the floods. There is an imminent need to take a step towards climate action to mitigate risks in the future and protect those most vulnerable