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This article explores the devastating floods that occurred in Pakistan in 2010 and the lessons learned from the disaster. It discusses the impact on communities, the challenges faced during evacuation and emergency response, and the need for flood resilience strategies. The article also highlights the importance of real-time monitoring and warning systems, as well as the international response to the disaster.
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LESSONS LEARNED FROM PAST NOTABLE DISASTERS. PART II B – PAKISTAN’S FLOODS Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA
NATURAL DISASTER FACED BY PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKES GOAL: FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENCE CYCLONES FLOODS DEVELOP POLICIES FOR ACTIONS HAVING HIGH BENEFIT/COST LANDSLIDES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
NORTHWEST PAKISTAN (AND AFGHANISTAN) HIT BY CATASTROPHIC FLOODING AFTER PROLONGED MONSOON RAINS JULY 28-AUGUST 23, 2010 [NOTE: War and Ramadan (which began on Aug 12) were major hinderances]
Over 1,600 Pakistanis died (and probably many more) and more than 20,000,000 were impacted, including 3,500,000 children, as rains swelled rivers, inundated villages, and triggered landslides, causing entire villages, roads, and bridges to be swept away and leaving some areas isolated.
Summer floods are common as a result of monsoon rains that swell rivers and streams across Pakistan, but 2010’s floods, which began in May and continued through August were the worst in 80 years, setting records in the province of KhyberPakhtunkhwa, parts of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region, and the Punjab province.
HAZARD MAPS • INVENTORY • VULNERABILITY • LOCATION • PREPAREDNESS • PROTECTION • EMERGENCY RESPONSE • RECOVERY and • RECONSTRUCTION FLOOD RISKS RISK MANAGEMENT ACCEPTABLE RISK RISK UNACCEPTABLE RISK TOWARDS FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENCE DATA BASES AND INFORMATION PAKISTAN COMMUNITIES HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS
FLOOD RESILIENCE GOALS • PREPAREDNESS (BE READY FOR WHAT HAPPENS) • PROTECTION(BUILD TO WITHSTAND)
FLOOD RESILIENCE GOALS • REAL-TIME MONITORING AND WARNING SYSTEMS (EVACUATION) • EMERGENCY RESPONSE (RESPOND TO NEEDS OF PEOPLE) • RECOVERY/RECONST. (RESTORE TO NORMAL QUICKLY)
The survivalof some of the poorest of the poor living in the districts of Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swat, and Lower Dir became problematic very early because of the prolonged, catastrophic nature of the monsoon rains and flooding.
The USA provided $60 million for immediate emergency assistance along with Navy and Marine helicopters, rescue boats, water filtration units, prefabricated steel bridges and thousands of packaged meals, which Pakistani soldiers tossed from helicopters
The United Nations announced Saturday, July 31, that they would provide $10 million dollars for immediate emergency assistance and would appeal for 460 million for an emergency effort to provide food, medicine, water, and shelter, especially for 3.5 million children.
International response to the appeal of the United Nations for $460 million was unusually slow due mainly to global economic slow- down.
In Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan troops flew dramatic helicopter rescue missions in militant-held territory, displaying "acts of heroism that were awe inspiring," according to a spokesman for the Combined Air Power Transition Force.
30,000 Pakistani troops rescued 28,000 people using helicopters and other means, and distributed water and food.
By August 12th, rain-swollen rivers were receding, but the disaster was still growing because many of Pakistan’s poorest of the poor families had not only lost their homes, but also the ability to feed themselves, and were now threatened with disease..
The rains paused on Monday, August 2, for a time, but survival for thousands was already a race with time as evacuation, search and rescue, mass care (food, clean water, and short- and long-term health care to prevent disease) were severely hindered by the widespread inundation and loss of infrastructure.
On August 12th, Pakistan’s President Zardari made his first trip to Sukkur to view the flood impacts and to assure angry citizens concerned that they had been abandoned, that the Government was working very hard to obtain international relief.
