Flooding in Pakistan

By Cedric Leon

Pakistan is facing unexpected, but serious, flooding during their monsoon season. Pakistan's monsoon season starts from July 1st to the end of September, usually bringing downpours up to 10 times heavier than usual, but this year something is different. This year's rainfall has been 500% above average as of August 30th, eating up entire agricultural towns that rely on this rain to fill up their aqueducts. This has been one of the wettest monsoon seasons since recording started in 1961.

“Footprints” of human-caused climate crises have been found to be the cause of the mass rainfall and flooding in Pakistan. Yet Pakistan produces only one percent of greenhouse gas global emissions.This year has had the world's worst climate related issues with extreme heat waves and now mass flooding with up to a third of Pakistan under water. Nearly 15 percent of Pakistan's population has been impacted, according to Pakistan’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman. Around eight million people have needed to relocate with more than three million children requiring immediate care. Flooding has killed over 1000 people, including children, and counting. Over 10 billion dollars in repairs are needed as a result of: 1 million homes submerged or destroyed, up to 5000 kilometers of road destroyed, 2 million acres of crops destroyed, and the 794,000 missing or killed livestock.

Researchers believe that it will take more than 6 months in order for water levels to return to “normal” levels. As if things couldn't get worse, this national crisis has led to the resurgence of cholera, malaria, and dengue fever. With 27 million starving individuals the prime minister of Pakistan has declared that “I have to feed my people. Their stomachs cannot go empty.” This humanitarian effort has been backed by many other groups, one being the United Nations with whom they launched a $160 million appeal aiming to reach 5.2 million of the most vulnerable people in the country. China and the UK have both offered help with 14.5 million and 1.73 million dollars, respectively. The whole world rallies in support for what is to come with Pakistan's current crisis.