Erratic weather patterns

This year, Pakistan recorded its wettest April since 1961, with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall while some areas of the country faced a severe heat wave in May and June. In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered flash floods in many parts of Pakistan, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people. A fresh spell of monsoon rains is likely to begin in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province from August 25. Authorities warn of flash floods in several parts of the province. Heavy monsoon rains have triggered flash floods in several parts of Pakistan since late June, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab provinces. The South Asian nation has reported 232 deaths in rain-related incidents since July 1, with Punjab reporting the highest 91 deaths, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Monsoon rains are likely in Punjab from August 25 until August 29, the PDMA said in a statement. There is a risk of flash flooding in Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, and Bahawalpur divisions due to heavy rains. Local administration and concerned departments have been asked to remain alert during the forecast period, according to the PDMA. People may also call PDMA helpline 1129 in case of an emergency. A deluge of unseasonably heavy rains has lashed Pakistan so far, killing more than 132 people across the country, with the authorities forecasting more flooding and rainfall, and some experts pointing to climate change as the cause. Several people have been killed in flash floods and other weather-related incidents, while thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged. Pakistan has been hammered by rainfall at nearly twice the average rate. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appears to be the hardest hit. Flash floods and landslides caused by torrential rains have damaged homes and destroyed infrastructure. Photos and videos from the province show roads turned into raging rivers, and homes and bridges being swept away. The rains have caused significant damage. In Pakistan, the recent flooding comes just over two years after a devastating monsoon season battered the country in 2022, killing over 1,700 people and affecting about 33 million more. That flooding destroyed millions of acres of crops, caused billions of dollars worth of damage, and started an international conversation about the environmental costs of global warming that our poor country disproportionately shoulders. The rainstorms offered more grim reminders of those costs. In Swat Valley, a popular tourist destination, landslides and washed-out roads caused by the heavy rains stranded thousands, mostly tourists. At least 15 landslides have been reported in the area. To mitigate future climate-change disasters, the provincial government has plans to build retention dams to manage water flow and control deforestation to prevent soil erosion. Heavy rains also triggered devastating flash floods that tore through Pakistan’s Balochistan Province, particularly its coastal region, causing widespread damage in Gwadar, a seaside city. Earlier, Gwadar received an exceptional amount of rainfall exceeding seven inches in less than 48 hours. Situated in an arid region of southern Pakistan, Gwadar had not experienced a deluge of that magnitude in recent memory, and the rainfall submerged most buildings in the city. People in Pakistan were bracing for more heavy rain as the authorities issued another flood warning for early next week. Officials blamed unseasonably fast-melting glaciers in several Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts for the coming floods. The weather warnings also spurred concerns about the unseasonable rain affecting Pakistan’s wheat harvest and stoked fears that the country’s monsoon season might also bring increased levels of devastation. Climate change is leading to more unpredictable weather forms, with extreme events like heat waves, droughts, and unpredictable monsoons becoming increasingly common. Climate change creates Pakistan’s erratic weather patterns.