The alarming flood situation

Is the government on top of it?

According to government officials rains have affected 100,000 people, while 98 have died in flood related accidents over the past fortnight. It is generally understood that statistics of the sort given by the administration exclude unreported cases or accidents in inaccessible or remote areas. The figures presented therefore tend to underestimate the level of the catastrophe. These figures would have been considered unacceptable in a country where citizens’ lives are considered important. Officials assigned the task of disaster management would be required to explain the loss of life and property at this scale. That unfortunately is not the case in Pakistan. The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) chairman smugly insists that the situation is under control because of what he calls “timely and coordinated efforts of NDMA and the Punjab Government”. The chairman NDMA perhaps expects a national award for his performance. This is what happens when people get brutalised and lose sensitivity. For them the men, women and children buried under the rubble of collapsed houses or swept away by the raging waters of a tributary are no more than figures.

The government agencies are predicting more rains and floods. Rains, we are told, could be very heavy at times in places along the border with India or Indian-held Kashmir. The next spell of rainfall in catchment areas of rivers coming from India could be serious to catastrophic as all the reservoirs are either full to the brim or are about to be. The Flood Forecasting Division’s chief Riaz Khan has described the situation as “alarming” and called on the authorities concerned to “remain on high alert to avert loss of life and property”. The chairman Federal Flood Commission warned at a meeting convened by the planning commission, “We still have time to prepare for the upcoming danger as the next spell (of rains) is predicted for August27-28.”

The most severely affected areas comprise the hinterland where hill torrents and river tributaries have inundated rural areas and small towns. Rains have however also wreaked havoc in badly managed big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad. In the first spell of monsoon early this month, heavy rain throughout the day led to flooding in Karachi. The government’s inability to improve the situation led to the army being called for support. In the poor localities of Lahore and Faisalabad, mortalities caused by roof collapse are a common phenomenon. The absence of elected local bodies has compounded the miseries of the big cities. There is no government department to conduct a survey of dangerous structures, the city drains are not looked after and the disaster management apparatus is found to be dysfunctional or insufficient. Combined with these deficiencies is the complacency on the part of those assigned the task of looking after the disaster management. They can cope with the situation in days to come only if they are more vigilant and prepared for the worst.