2016 Pakistan Floods

Natural disaster in Pakistan In 2016 Pakistan experienced higher rainfall than normal (10-20%), especially in the pre-monsoon season.PDMA-KP: Overview of Disasters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2016 - Impact, Response and Managing Risks - Pakistan https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pdma-kp-overview-disasters-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-2016-impact-response-and-managing 2021-10-22 ReliefWeb 10 June 2017 en Heavy monsoon rains are common in the region. This led to multiple periods of flooding, landslides, and damage (including loss of life) particularly in Northern Pakistan. The Swat River overflowed and multiple landslides occurred around Pakistan including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir.Pakistan Floods–Death Toll Rises:23 Missing in Landslide–FloodList https://floodlist.com/asia/april-2016-pakistan-floods-death-toll-kohistan-landslide live 2021-10-21 floodlist.com https://web.archive.org/web/20160408233931/http://floodlist.com:80/asia/april-2016-pakistan-floods-death-toll-kohistan-landslide 2016-04-08 thumb|upright=1.5|Pakistan geographical regions and main rivers Overview Heavier than usual pre-monsoon rains affected over 53 districts of Pakistan resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage with 56% of deaths occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (where the most rain fell). Flooding and landslides damaged houses alongside the Karakoram Highway. Road blockages disrupted supply chains resulting in food shortages in Gilgit-Baltistan. The Pakistan Government did not request support from the international community but airlifted 20 tons of emergency food and shelter supplies to Gilgit-Baltistan to assist in the relief efforts. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society and Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN) provided emergency health kits and non-food items including tents. The Pakistan Government also ensured compensation for deaths and injuries amongst the families affected.Accumulated Rainfall Map-Pakistan (April, 2016)-Pakistan https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ACCUMULATED%20RAINFALL%20MAP%20-%20PAKISTAN%20April%2017%20Days%2C%202016.pdf live 2021-10-21 ReliefWeb en https://web.archive.org/web/20211021212627/https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ACCUMULATED%20RAINFALL%20MAP%20-%20PAKISTAN%20April%2017%20Days%2C%202016.pdf 2021-10-21 Despite the ongoing rains the government returned families back to their places of origin.Pakistan: Floods and Landslides - Mar 2016 https://reliefweb.int/disaster/fl-2016-000021-pak 2021-10-21 ReliefWeb 22 June 2021 en +Table 1: Reported numbers from National Disaster Management Authority, Government of Pakistan MonthType of disasterAreas affectedDeathsInjuriesHouses damagedMarch - May 2016Heavy pre-monsoon rainsPunjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir2712792929June - September 2016Monsoon rainsKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir1531131452 Background Heavy rainfall is common in Southern Asia during the pre-monsoon season.https://weather.com/safety/floods/news/pakistan-floods-latest-news Pakistan Flooding Kills at Least 45; Bad Weather Hampering Rescue Efforts The Weather Channel 2016-04-25 Geography and climate The Northern regions of Pakistan include parts of the Karakorum mountains and the Himalaya range, containing many of the world's highest mountain peaks as well as large glaciers.Saeed Khan Rina 2020 As Pakistan glacier melt surges, efforts to cut flood risk drag Thomson Reuters Foundation https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-glaciers-climate-change-trfn-idUSKBN23F03B 28 October 2021  The presence of these geological features combined with the flow of warm, moist air from the Bay of Bengal, subject the region to periods of extreme rainfall and increased fluvial flows. This includes two regular monsoon seasons from June through September, and October to November. The rain during monsoon seasons combined with increasing amounts of glacial melt in lakes and rivers, contribute to frequent flooding events in Pakistan. The primary source of flood flows in 2016 were generated by moderate to heavy downpour in upper catchments of major rivers and their tributaries.Ali Asjad Imtiaz 2017 Annual Flood Report 2016 https://mowr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Annual-Flood-Report-2016.pdf Office of the Chief Engineering Advisory and Chairman, Federal Flood Commission Islamabad 2021-10-29 2021-10-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20211029181643/https://mowr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Annual-Flood-Report-2016.pdf Climate change The severity of previous floods in Pakistan, notably the 2010 flood, have been directly attributed to the effects of climate change.Saeed Shah 2010 Pakistan floods: army steps into breach as anger grows at Zardari The Guardian online https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/08/pakistan-floods-army-popular-zardari-angerChaudhry Qamar Uz Zaman 2017 Climate Change Profile of Pakistan https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/357876/climate-change-profile-pakistan.pdf Asian Development Bank One of the major climate threats is the predicted increase of extreme weather, coupled with changing monsoon rains which cause intense floods followed by periods of drought. Climate change has increased the frequency of flooding events in the region and in Pakistan in particular. In recent memory the most severe of these were the devastating floods in 2010. Housing, infrastructure and governance After severe floods in 1973 and 1976, the Federal Flood Commission was established to assume a unified national responsibility for flood protection works (previously a devolved responsibility of the provincial governments within Pakistan). A government report in 2009 acknowledged the limited success of flood protection measures in the major river valleys of Pakistan, and also noted that "As there is no proper regulatory frame work in the country regarding the settlement in riverine areas, most of the poor people have constructed their shelters along the vulnerable river banks and become victims to devastating floods."  http://mowr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Anual-Flood-Report-2009.pdf Archived copy 2021-10-29 2021-05-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20210514003836/https://mowr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Anual-Flood-Report-2009.pdf Geographical and physical impact of the 2016 Pakistan floods Due to varying geography, Pakistan has many different climates, including: hot desert climates, humid subtropical climates, hot semi-arid climates, cold desert climates, cold semi-arid climates and oceanic climates.Climate: Pakistan https://en.climate-data.org/asia/pakistan-127/ live 30 October 2021 Climate-Data.Org https://web.archive.org/web/20190321045027/https://en.climate-data.org/asia/pakistan-127/ 2019-03-21 The average annual precipitation is 494mm and the average monthly precipitation is 4.30mm.2017 Pakistan Annual and Monthly Average Precipitation https://ourworldindata.org/country/pakistan#search=precip live Our World in Data https://web.archive.org/web/20200926194530/https://ourworldindata.org/country/pakistan 2020-09-26 Pakistan is also described as having "three major hydrological landscapes" these consist of the Indus Basin, the Kharan Basin and the Makran Coastal area. It was large quantities of rainwater and glacial melt into the Indus Basin area that primarily contributed to the 2016 floods.Jamshed, A., Birkmann, J, McMillan, J.M., Rana, I.A., Lauer, H Climate Change, Hazards and Adaptation Options: Handling the Impacts of a Changing Climate Springer 2020 978-3-030-37424-2 Filho Walter Leal 585–614 English The Impact of Extreme Floods on Rural Communities: Evidence from Pakistan Pakistan's monsoon rains originate from moisture which moves over India. Consequently, flooding events occur every year. However, the monsoons are beginning to migrate north-westerly, where there are fewer smaller and narrower rivers which are not sufficient to collect monsoon water to prevent flooding.Gronewold N 2010 What Caused the Massive Flooding in Pakistan? https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-caused-the-massive-flooding-in-pakistan/#:~:text=What%20Caused%20the%20Massive%20Flooding%20in%20Pakistan%3F%20A,models%2C%20massive%20deforestation%2C%20and%20lax%20attention%20to%20infrastructure live 30 October 2021 Scientific American https://web.archive.org/web/20141010125814/http://www.scientificamerican.com:80/article/what-caused-the-massive-flooding-in-pakistan/ 2014-10-10 In the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber-Paktunkhwa, FATA, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, it was reported that 171 houses were damaged as of the 18th of March 2016. Rain started at night of Saturday, April 3,http://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/rescuers-race-reach-thousands-stranded-rains-pakistan Rescuers race to reach thousands stranded by rains in Pakistan ReliefWeb English 2016-04-25 rainfall began to spur floods in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region in the northwest.http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/04/asia/pakistan-floods/index.html Deadly Pakistan floods soak northwest Sophia Saifi, Zahir Shah and Susannah Cullinane CNN 5 April 2016 2016-04-25 As of the 13th of April 2016, it was reported that 2700 houses were damaged. and many collapsed.2016 At least 45 killed in Pakistan as heavy rain causes roofs to collapse The Guardian online https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/03/36-killed-north-west-pakistan-heavy-rain-roofs-collapse 30 October 2021 This was due to the heavy rain which caused flooding and consequently landslides. As a result, food shortages in Gilgit Balistan were experienced due to the blocking of the Karakoram Highway. Houses are often poorly built, especially in rural areas which meant they were susceptible to collapse after heavy rain. 300,000 families were registered displaced after the floods but now half have returned to their homes. The recurrence of frequent floods in Pakistan poses serious threat to crops, properties and human life.Rehman, F & Harbi, H 2018 Review of Natural Hazards and Disasters and their Impacts in Pakistan https://muslim-perspectives.com/images/articles/Review-of-Natural-Hazards-and-Disasters-and-their-Impacts-in-Pakistan8.pdf Muslim Perspectives 3 2 33–48 Another flood began in August. At least 82 people were killed during the floods, including a disaster involving a bus which resulted in the deaths of 27 people and the disappearance of four.The Washington Post Response Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) played a critical role in the management of the nation's coordination of rescue, relief and recovery efforts with all stakeholders . As part of preparations for the 2016 monsoon season, a National Post Flood-2015 Review Conference was held in January 2016, seeking to implement a strong response for future monsoons.Resilience Towards a Disaster Resilient Pakistan. https://cms.ndma.gov.pk/storage/app/public/publications/October2020/mCzicVJtn73VZwkyp694.pdf National Disaster Management Authority 25 October 2021 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government began to administer relief for those affected. Rural areas with poor infrastructure were highly susceptible, and, consequently, some 150 homes were destroyed in the event.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-04/pakistan,-kashmir-floods-leave-53-dead/7295664 Severe flooding leaves 53 dead in Pakistan ABC News 3 April 2016 en-AU 2016-04-25 The floods also caused deadly landslides that killed another 23 people. However, 5 survived and were rescued.http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/04/07/Pakistan-flood-death-toll-now-92-after-23-found-buried-in-landslide/7391460038601/ Pakistan flood death toll now 92 after 23 found buried in landslide UPI 2016-04-25 Furthermore, the rain washed away bridges and roads in the area, as well as causing crop loss.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-04/06/c_135255794.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20160602031539/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-04/06/c_135255794.htm June 2, 2016 92 killed in rain-triggered accidents in Pakistan - Xinhua English.news.cn news.xinhuanet.com 2016-04-25 Pre-monsoon The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasted an early Monsoon season, and so preparations for response were made early. Pre-monsoon instructions were issues to all stakeholders on March 18, 2016, one week after the pre-monsoon spell started. The Khyber Paktunkhwa region was most heavily impacted by the pre-monsoon season and its government administered relief to citizens in the region. The equivalent of $1,000 was issued to those whose houses were destroyed or $500 to those partially damaged. Injured citizens received $500, and relatives of the deceased received $3,000.Deadly Pakistan floods soak northwest https://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/04/asia/pakistan-floods/index.html 25 October 2021 CNN 5 April 2016 In 2016, for the first time, pre-monsoon season was more intense and devastating than the actual monsoon season. Monsoon To enhance the response capabilities of the Army, the National Reserve of Flood Fighting Equipment was created, providing fiber glass boats and lifesaving jackets to various regions. Due to the enhanced preparations prior to monsoon season, awareness levels were high, resulting in timely evacuations during flash floods.POST DISASTER REPORT MONSOON 2016 https://cms.ndma.gov.pk/storage/app/public/publications/October2020/AgtBX0sNb4K9yFVMNfMw.pdf National Disaster Management Authority 25 October 2021 Inter-provincial coordination proved problematic during the period, with important communication artery between Punjan and AJK being closed off due to the delayed clearance of a landslide on a road in the District Rawalpindi. Relief provided throughout the entire monsoon season in 2016 was extensive: 6,493 tents; 4,198 plastic mats; 10,392 blankets; 323 tons of food items. The Pakistan Army engaged in relief and rescue operations in heavily impacted areas providing food, shelter and medical aid.Dozens killed by floods across Pakistan and India https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/03/asia/pakistan-flooding/index.html 25 October 2021 CNN 4 July 2016 Although the international community were in close contact, no request for assistance was made during the floods of 2016.Flash Update: #2 Pakistan Rains https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ocha_flash_update_2_pak_rains_20160704.pdf ReliefWeb 25 October 2021 Aftermath Deaths and injuries According to Pakistan's NMDA, there were a total of 424 deaths as a result of the pre-monsoon rains (March–May 2016)  and monsoon season (June–September 2016). 153 of the people who died were children. By province, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the worst affected during both disasters, with a total of 226 deaths.National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan. Annual Report 2016. http://web.ndma.gov.pk/publications/NDMA%20AR%202016%20Final%2018%20May%202018%20(1).pdf Unfortunately some bodies were not able to be recovered, and therefore all mortality statistics are estimates. 279 people nationwide were injured in the pre-monsoon rains, and 113 people were injured during the monsoon season. Deaths and injuries were largely due to the collapse of unstable buildings in landslides, and vehicles being swept away in fast moving flood water.Pakistan – Deadly Floods Hit Sindh and Balochistan Provinces – FloodList https://floodlist.com/asia/pakistan-floods-sindh-balochistan-august-2016 2021-10-23 floodlist.com +Pre-monsoon death and injury statistics by province (as per NMDA)ProvinceDeathsInjuriesPunjab1018Balochistan1920Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa157154Azad Jammu & Kashmir2519Gilgit Balkistan2224Federally Administered Tribal Areas3844Total271279 +Monsoon death and injury statistics by province (as per NMDA)ProvinceDeathsInjuriesPunjab29 -Balochistan1823Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa6987Azad Jammu & Kashmir62Gilgit Balkistan31Federally Administered Tribal Areas27 -Islamabad1 -Total153113 Difficulty accessing healthcare Despite rapid response to try and clear roads affected by landslides, it was difficult to provide outside assistance to remote villages.Overnight flash floods kill dozens in northern Pakistan https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/7/3/flash-floods-in-pakistan-kill-over-40-people 2021-10-23 www.aljazeera.com en People in rural areas struggled to access healthcare, as local hospitals did not have the facilities to treat them and travel to hospitals further afield was difficult.Peshawar Agence France-Presse in 2016-04-04 Thousands stranded by floods and landslides in north-west Pakistan http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/04/pakistan-floods-landslides-khyber-pakhtunkhwa 2021-10-23 the Guardian en Internal displacement Following the floods in 2015, over 300,000 people were registered as internally displaced. Despite predications of a particularly bad monsoon season in 2016, 16,000 families were returned to the Federally Administered Tribal areas in April 2016 (approximately half the number that had been displaced in the previous year). During the pre-monsoon rains, thousands of people were stranded in north west Pakistan due to road blockages caused by landslides. Rescue efforts centred around people stuck under debris of their houses and provision of aid supplies (including tents). Local administrations evacuated hundreds of people from each region of Pakistan in July and August before rain hit, preventing loss of life. However, damage to homes by the floods meant these people could not be returned quickly. Health impacts Short term People displaced by the floods were more vulnerable to viral epidemics (e.g. yellow fever) and waterborne and vector borne diseases: malaria, leptospirosis, typhoid and West Nile fever.Saeed, U & Piracha, Z 2016 Viral outbreaks and communicable health hazards due to devastating floods in Pakistan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301934541 World Journal of Virology 5 2 82–84 10.5501/wjv.v5.i2.82 27175353 4861874 free Diarrhoeal, respiratory and skin infections increase in the weeks and months following floods.Memon F.S. & Sharjeel, M 2016 Catastrophic Effects of Floods on Environment and Health: Evidence from Pakistan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327596650 Pakistan Journal of Engineering, Technology & Science 5. 10.22555/pjets.v5i2.903 Even without flooding events, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) like dengue are widespread but floods increased infection rates due to increased standing water.Khan, J., Khan, I., Ghaffar, A 2018 Epidemiological trends and risk factors associated with dengue disease in Pakistan (1980–2014): a systematic literature search and analysis BMC Public Health 18 745 745 10.1186/s12889-018-5676-2 29907109 6003098 free Damage to sanitation infrastructure increased the risk of cholera, specifically Vibrio cholerae which is endemic in Pakistan following the 2010 floods.Zohra T, Ikram A, Salman M, Amir A, Saeed A, Ashraf Z 2021 Wastewater based environmental surveillance of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae in Pakistan PLOS ONE 16 9 e0257414 10.1371/journal.pone.0257414 34591885 8483414 2021PLoSO..1657414Z free Health care was disrupted where access to health facilities is already limited. In parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa facilities are over 30 minutes' walk away.Shah, A 2020 Factors affecting flood-induced household vulnerability and health risks in Pakistan: The case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province https://rajibshaw.org/wpRS/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Shah-et-al-IJDRR.pdf International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 42 101341 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101341 2020IJDRR..4201341S 204269755 Long term Inadequate access to health care contributes to poorer health outcomes and increased DALYs in the long term. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder increase in the aftermath of floods.Aslam, N & Kamal, A 2016 Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among General Population Affected by Floods in Pakistan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301226289 Pakistan Journal of Medical Research 55 1 This is not readily acknowledged or addressed in disaster responses. Failure to adequately address the trauma of repeated exposure to flooding events and the ways in which floods exacerbate disease burden has a detrimental impact on people's psycho-social and physical well-being.Amber, A. & van der Geest.K. 2021 Climate change in rural Pakistan: evidence and experiences from a people-centered perspective https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/climate-change-rural-pakistan-evidence-and-experiences-people-centered-perspective Sustainability Science 16 6 1999–2011 10.1007/s11625-021-01036-4 238360505 free Changes in response to flooding Adaptive responses Use of land and agriculture to reduce the impact of flash and heavy flooding events in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The creation of irrigation structures, the variegation of crops including the use of crop varieties that are more resilient to the changing climate, and changing the crop calendar to improve the integrity of the land and to reduce crop loss are all techniques advocated.Gorst, A., Dehlavi, A., & Groom, B 2018 Crop productivity and adaptation to climate change in Pakistan https://static.cambridge.org/content/id/urn:cambridge.org:id:article:S1355770X18000232/resource/name/S1355770X18000232sup001.pdf Environment and Development Economics 23 6 679–701 10.1017/S1355770X18000232 9378060 However, implementation is constrained by availability of finance, knowledge and training of farmers around sustainable land use for cultivation and access to new technologies.2016 Mitigating floods through co-ordinated climate smart agriculture and land use patterns in Pakistan Technology Times https://ed.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44UOE_INST/1viuo5v/cdi_gale_infotrac_460751198 Mitigation measures Resilience of individual households Households are more likely to adopt well known and straight forward mitigation measures rather than longer term or complex ones. Once again, floods impact the poorest and mitigation measures are constrained by available finance, minimal access to an early warning systems and insufficient land use planning.Shah, A.A., Ye, J., Abid, M. 2017 Determinants of flood risk mitigation strategies at household level: a case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316075520 Natural Hazards 88 415–430 10.1007/s11069-017-2872-9 133918336 Investment in these areas is essential to reduce future vulnerabilities. References Further reading https://www.dawn.com/news/1249711 Flood killed 45 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa DAWN 3 April 2016 3 April 2016 http://tribune.com.pk/story/1078052/rains-kill-at-least-24-in-parts-of-k-p-fata 45 people die in flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The Express Tribune 3 April 2016 3 April 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/04/03/world/asia/ap-as-pakistan-rain-deaths.html Official: Rain, Floods Kill 45 in Northwest Pakistan 3 April 2016 AP The New York Times at least 71 people were killed https://www.dawn.com/news/1250226/rain-death-toll-rises-to-71 'Rain death toll rises to 71' The Newspaper's Staff Reporter 6 April 2016 http://tribune.com.pk/story/1079072/death-toll-from-northern-pakistan-rains-rises-to-71/ Death toll from northern Pakistan rains rises to 71 - The Express Tribune 5 April 2016 Category:Floods in Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan Category:2016 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa