Pakistan Floods: Scary consequences of climate change?

Insight Bureau: The floods caused by monsoon rains in Pakistan have caused severe destruction, one-third of Pakistan has been submerged. Aid efforts have been intensified across Pakistan to help lakhs of people affected by the floods.

According to the information, more than 1,100 people have lost their lives in the country so far. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described the floods as “the worst in the history of Pakistan”, adding that it will cost at least $10 billion to repair the damaged infrastructure spread across the country.

Rains that began in June have caused severe flooding across the country that has swept away vital crops and damaged or destroyed more than a million homes. Authorities and charitable organizations are constantly engaged in helping people. So far more than 33 million people have been assisted. Due to floods and water, there is a struggle to speed up the aid work. Many people are stranded everywhere, making it a daunting task to rescue them as many roads and bridges have been severely damaged.

Displaced people are wandering in search of shelter, food and drinking water in the dry land left after the floods.

In the south and west of the country, many Pakistanis have climbed railway tracks and highways to escape the flood.

Pakistan receives heavy and often destructive rains every year during the monsoon season, which is important for agriculture and water supply. But such heavy rain has not been seen for three decades. Pakistani officials have blamed climate change for this, which is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather around the world.

No worse time could have come for Pakistan, where the economy has collapsed. The government has declared a state of emergency appealing for international help. Aid flights have arrived in recent days from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, while other countries including Canada, Australia and Japan have also pledged aid. The United Nations on Tuesday formally launched an appeal for $160 million in emergency aid.

PM Modi on Monday took to Twitter to extend his condolences to the flood-hit people of Pakistan.

Notably, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described it as an “unprecedented climate catastrophe.”