Over the last 20 years the natural disasters occurrence frequency in the world have been alarmingly increased. Global warming, changing weather patterns, rapid urbanization, pollution and industrialization are common factors that impact on natural disasters.
Pakistan is a disaster prone country of South Asia. Its geographical location, diverse terrain and peculiar climatic conditions make it vulnerable to various forms of Disasters. Pakistan continues to suffer from a plethora of natural and human induced hazards that threaten to affect the lives and livelihood of its citizen. During the last 50 years about 162 natural disasters have killed 106,036 people while affected 88,140,223 respectively. This is very large number and has major implication on growth and development of the country. Frequent occurrence of floods in Pakistan makes it leading among all natural disasters.
Punjab province is vulnerable to riverine floods, flash floods and, urban floods and a significant proportion of Punjab’s population is dependent on Agriculture. Reverine floods pose flood risk to all districts of Punjab lying on the banks of the rivers whereas Flash Floods pose risk to D.G Khan, Rajanpur and Mianwali districts in the shape of hill torrents and urban flood is a risk for cities.
District D.G. Khan is one of the unfortunate Districts which had faced unprecedented and historic floods. Due to its peculiar layout it is affected by water from Indus River as well as the Flash floods caused by Hill Torrents emanating from Koh I Suleman mountain Range.
These twin floods have played havoc in the District during the past and caused colossal loss to the valuable crops infrastructure whereas thousands of houses have been washed away from the surface. In spite of the damages incurred by the floods, the district being the farthest in Punjab, could not fetch due attention by national media. It is also highlighted that natural hazards and disaster management in Pakistan lacks coordination. Organizations like the NDMA/PDMA/DDMA are also very lean with limited staff and resources thus response is delayed and often ineffective to mitigate disaster specially floods.
The lack of early warning and delivery system, organization and functioning capabilities, cooperation with other agencies, attempts to “tackle the challenge on its own”, and reluctance to ask for assistance are the main causes of inefficiency. There is requirement to develop a comprehensive and workable Flood Management Plan with redefining role of DDMA as leading flood management organization for the district D G Khan and similar areas exposed to twin flood hazards at South Punjab.
MUGHIS RAZA,
Queeta.