Flood times

As rains continue to fall across most northern parts of the country, the havoc we have come to associate with them has also made its presence felt. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, at least seven people have died as a result of hill torrents racing down mountainsides. Some 19 people died in the same area last month, as the first rains of the monsoon season hit. There have also been deaths in Punjab as a result of rains, with at least four persons drowning in the flooded Jhelum River after a passenger van slid into it. Floodwater has also made its way into Rajanpur district in southern Punjab and into parts of Balochistan. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rains over the coming days.

It is easy to put all this down to a natural disaster; to an act of God against which man stands helpless. But is this really the case? Concern has been expressed repeatedly about the lack of disaster-preparedness in the country and our tendency to wait for havoc to strike before we act. The problems associated with a lack of readiness have been pointed out in detailed reports from international agencies. This year, we also heard of detailed plans being put in place by the provincial disaster management authorities. But despite consultations being held, notably in Punjab, and the drafting of papers, no warnings were given to people and no suggestions were made as to how they should act.

Resource constraints have been a factor. The Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, comprising some 50 local and international agencies, says that it lacks resources to deal with another disaster following the floods of 2010 and 2011. In Sindh flaws, which led to mass flooding last year, have not been repaired in all cases and it seems that we continue to live on a wing and a prayer, thus tempting fate and putting lives and property at risk across the country — perhaps, because administrations care too little about the plight of ordinary people who remain perilously vulnerable to disaster.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2012.