Mapping Sindh's coast before disaster strikes

Along Sindh's vulnerable coastline, disaster does not always arrive without warning. The signs are often visible long before a cyclone makes landfall, floodwaters spread or seawater pushes farther inland - but experts say the real challenge is turning those warning signs into timely action.

For communities living along the coast, this means knowing which areas are most exposed, where evacuation routes lie, how livelihoods could be affected and which environmental changes are already taking place. Experts now argue that this knowledge, combined with satellite imagery, GPS, GIS and real-time digital data, must become a central part of disaster preparedness.

The message emerged during a panel discussion, "Disaster Mapping in Coastal Areas: A Foundation for Resilience and Sustainable Development," organised by Green Media Initiative (GMI) in collaboration with the University of Karachi's Institute of Environmental Studies.

The discussion focused on a fundamental shift in the way disasters are managed: instead of waiting for a cyclone, flood or seawater intrusion to expose vulnerabilities, authorities and communities should identify and map those risks beforehand.

Provincial Ombudsman Sindh Climate/Disaster Justice Unit Director Imdad Hussain Siddiqui said coastal residents should not be viewed merely as victims of disasters. They are often the first to observe changes in their surroundings.