Record-breaking monsoon rainfall and subsequent floods this year have left their mark on most parts of the country, killing over 1,100 and injuring nearly 1,700 citizens.
The latest data from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) shows that 72 districts, housing over 33 million citizens, have been declared calamity-hit due to floods.
This means that nearly 45% of Pakistan’s total area is submerged in flood water while over 15% of the country’s whole population has been affected by floods.
Here is a breakdown of calamity-hit districts and affected population:
| Province/Region | Calamity-Hit Districts | Affected Population |
| AJK | 0 | 53,700 |
| Balochistan | 31 | 9,182,616 |
| GB | 6 | 51,500 |
| KP | 9 | 4,350,490 |
| Punjab | 3 | 4,844,253 |
| Sindh | 23 | 14,563,770 |
| Total | 72 | 33,046,329 |
During a recent interview with AFP, Climate Change Minister, Sherry Rehman, had also made similar remarks, claiming that one-third of Pakistan is submerged in floods due to monsoon rains.
The Minister termed the prevailing flooding situation as a “crisis of unimaginable proportions,” adding, “To see the devastation on the ground is really mind-boggling.”
She said, “When we send in water pumps, the teams say ‘Where do we pump the water?’ It’s all one big ocean, there’s no dry land to pump the water out.”
Note here that the already bleeding economy has sustained an estimated loss of $10 billion. Referring to the whopping damages, the Minister called for international financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the flood victims and infrastructure.
The Minister also criticized major industrialized countries for compounding the issue of global warming. Pakistan’s share of global greenhouse gas emissions is less than 1%. However, Pakistan is the eighth-most vulnerable country to extreme weather events induced by climate change, she told.
It’s time for the big emitters to review their policies. We have crossed what is clearly a threshold.
The Minister also warned of the inevitable food crisis as nothing will be able to grow at all on most of the country’s agricultural land for the next season. She said, “Not only will our exports be impacted, but our food security will take a hit.”
The flood victims will receive cooked meals in relief camps. Medical camps have also been established in the camps because such an environment is conducive to outbreaks of water-borne diseases.
