Sumaira Gul
PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Due to the recent rains, various parts of Pakistan are going through a devastating natural calamity which has led to a massive humanitarian crisis. Widespread rains and floods have affected millions of people in Baluchistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the NDMA, a total of 357 people have died and other 400 injured in accidents due to flooded rails and water from June 14 to July 29 across the country.
So far, Baluchistan has been the most affected province by the monsoon rains, with a total of 111 deaths, while 71 people have been killed in Sindh, 68 in Punjab, 70 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eight in Gilgit-Baltistan and five in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
According to NDMA, a total of 615 km of roads and 49 small and big bridges across the country have been damaged by flood lanes.
According to NDMA, 3250 houses have been completely destroyed, while more than 6 thousand have been partially damaged.
Similarly, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thousands of people have been displaced, while standing structures have been destroyed. The hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also come under fire due to floods and rains.
There is little access to clean drinking water for people in the affected areas, and the use of contaminated water is causing diarrhea and diarrhea in these areas, with thousands of cases being reported among children.
According to the Department of Meteorology, the highest average rainfall occurred in Baluchistan, where the average rainfall in July is 24.4 mm, while this year, July has received 132.4 mm so far, which is 443 percent more.
Meteorologists say that untimely rains, floods and droughts are a sign of climate change. However, on the other hand Enviromental Experts said that we are killing ourselves with our own hands as the garbage of the cities is dumped into the rivers. Plastic and other solid wastes have accumulated in the river bed and made it shallow. This garbage has become a threat to river life. The water storage capacity of rivers has decreased. Therefore, the rain water comes into the river and becomes a flood. There is no part of the country that is not affected by floods and droughts.
He said that apart from this, Pakistan is also facing the threat of water shortage despite having large reserves of glaciers. All this has a direct impact on the agriculture of Pakistan. He demanded to develop a comprehensive strategy for climate change.