The monsoon season has devastated several areas of the country, and heavy showers threaten to wreak havoc for another week according to weather predictions. Balochistan seems to have been hit the hardest with 65 deaths reported in the last few days alone, as per PDMA report.
Weak and outdated infrastructure created for an unpredictable and dangerous environment that intervention by disaster management authorities now seems necessary. The country cannot sit idly as innocent people succumb to flash floods and the destruction they cause.
Consistent and heavy rainfall in parts of Balochistan triggered floods that have reportedly swept away vehicles from the road and caused at least four dams to be washed away completely. Houses collapsed and many drowned in a state of flurry and confusion. Outside of those that died, there are hundreds more that have been injured and thousands who have been displaced in the last five days.
Time and time again, the months of July and August report high fatalities due to the monsoon season and despite this rather permanent pattern, authorities have taken no action. Installing a drainage system should be the first step but we are far from planning for this objective, let alone achieving it. Perhaps a more attainable goal would be to fix the poor quality of infrastructural developments in the region. Within this last week, entire bridges were broken down and swept away by flood water, buildings collapsed and landslides in areas like the Khojak Pass caused severe damage and alienated people looking for a quick escape. In fact, more people died as a result of such circumstances than due to the rainfall or floods themselves.
We have failed to build our cities according to modern and safe standards and have risked the lives of countless innocent individuals as a result. This cannot be tolerated for the future and it is high time that the government embarks upon initiatives that are targeted towards flood relief developments. Proper mechanisms and systems must be installed if we are to protect ourselves from the debilitating effects of rainfall and flooding.
