Climate vulnerability deepens as flood survivors rebuild lives

As Pakistan prepares for another monsoon season, thousands of families affected by last year's devastating floods in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

Despite official claims of recovery efforts, a recent survey reveals that rehabilitation remains incomplete, with many survivors facing greater economic insecurity, weakened resilience, and increased vulnerability to future climate-related disasters.

The findings emerge from a survey conducted by Pattan Development Organisation (Pattan) and Coalition-38, which examined the current state of rehabilitation, disaster preparedness, and public perceptions of government policies in flood-affected communities. The survey covered 140 households across 35 severely affected settlements in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Most of the surveyed communities are located near rivers and have experienced repeated flooding over the past 15 years. The research highlights a troubling reality: many promises regarding livelihood restoration, housing reconstruction, and community infrastructure rehabilitation remain unfulfilled. As a result, flood survivors are entering the upcoming monsoon season with heightened anxiety and significantly reduced capacity to cope with future disasters.

One of the most alarming findings is the extent of inequality in the recovery process. While a small number of households reportedly received adequate compensation and successfully rebuilt their homes, the majority continue to live with damaged housing, loss of livelihoods, mounting debts, and depleted assets.

Many respondents alleged that access to compensation was driven by political connections and local influence rather than the genuine need. This suggests that disaster impacts are not determined solely by natural hazards but are also shaped by existing social and economic inequalities.

The survey further indicates that post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes may have unintentionally strengthened the influence of the local elite. As a consequence, wealthier and more influential groups appear to have benefited disproportionately, while poorer families continue to face persistent challenges, including unemployment, housing insecurity, declining assets, and limited access to essential services.

According to the survey, more than three-quarters of respondents reported receiving little or no meaningful assistance from government institutions. Nearly 79% of households described themselves as poorer than they were before the floods, while fewer than 7% said they had fully recovered their homes, livelihoods, or assets.

The data also reveals significant gaps in rehabilitation efforts. Only 20 out of the 140 surveyed households reported receiving government compensation. More than two-thirds of families were unable to properly repair or rebuild their homes, while 57% said they had experienced no recovery in terms of lost livelihoods.

Furthermore, 42% reported no meaningful recovery from their overall losses, and more than 40% estimated that it would take between five and ten years to return to their pre-flood economic conditions.

Climate change is widely recognised by the affected communities as a major factor behind the increasing frequency and severity of floods. More than 90% of respondents identified climate change as a key driver of extreme and unpredictable flooding. At the same time, most participants expressed dissatisfaction with government preparedness and adaptation measures aimed at reducing climate-related risks.

Perhaps most concerning is the near absence of community-level disaster preparedness mechanisms. There was little evidence of functioning early warning systems, evacuation planning, or local disaster risk-reduction initiatives. Respondents noted that such measures were either unavailable or ineffective when the floods occurred.

The research also highlighted broader concerns regarding access to safe drinking water, environmental degradation, and declining public trust in government institutions. In times of crisis, many survivors reported relying more on relatives, friends, and local social networks than on state agencies or international organisations.

To address these challenges, the surveyors have recommended strengthening community-based disaster preparedness programmes, ensuring transparency in compensation and relief distribution, reducing opportunities for corruption through digital systems, enhancing social accountability mechanisms, empowering local governments, and promoting renewable energy solutions as part of climate resilience strategies.

The survey paints a stark picture of recovery efforts that have fallen short of meeting the needs of Pakistan's most vulnerable citizens. One year after the floods, many survivors remain trapped in a cycle of poverty, debt, and uncertainty. As climate change continues to intensify extreme weather events, rehabilitation cannot be treated as a short-term humanitarian exercise. It must become part of a broader strategy for climate adaptation, social protection, and disaster resilience.

While the government has acknowledged the economic and social risks posed by climate change, there is little evidence of the political commitment required to support millions of flood-stricken citizens. Equally troubling is the apparent lack of visible preparedness measures in vulnerable areas ahead of the current monsoon season. Unless urgent action is taken to address recovery gaps and future risks, the communities hardest hit by last year's floods may once again bear the heaviest burden of Pakistan's climate crisis.

The writer is a freelance journalist