Unyielding Cataclysm of Nature: The Heart-Wrenching Human Impact of Pakistan's Flood Disaster Crisis
In the heart of South Asia, Pakistan stands as the eighth most vulnerable country in the world to climate-related disasters. This vulnerability was starkly illustrated in the devastating floods of 2022, which displaced eight million people, claimed more than 1,700 lives, and injured over 13,000. The floodwaters did not just recede, leaving behind a trail of destruction; they left a lasting impact on the minds and hearts of the survivors.
The flood-stricken areas of Chakwal and Babusar Top in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were submerged by sudden cloudbursts, with entire neighborhoods drowning in a matter of hours. For many survivors, the fear does not end when the floodwaters recede. Trauma lingers in sleepless nights, constant fear of another disaster, and grief of losing loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.
Asif Shehzad, another victim, lost his home and livelihood due to unrelenting rains. An 80-year-old farmer named Rustam experienced extreme flood waters that reached around five feet in his home during the same floods. Obaidullah, a survivor of the 2022 floods, recalled being stranded on a rock as floodwaters raged around him, watching as his friends were swept away one by one.
The injustice is clear: those who contribute the least to the crisis are the ones who pay the heaviest price. Pakistan contributes less than one percent to global carbon emissions, yet it bears the brunt of climate change-induced disasters. Without urgent action from both the international community and Pakistan's leadership, millions will continue to pay the price for a climate crisis they did little to cause.
Urban flooding in Pakistan is increasingly severe due to the combined effects of climate change and unplanned urban construction. Climate change has intensified monsoon rainfall, causing heavy, unpredictable downpours that overwhelm inadequate drainage systems in major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. This rapid urbanization without proper planning or drainage infrastructure directly contributes to urban flooding during these extreme rain events.
Accelerated glacial melt and altered monsoon patterns driven by climate change have increased both riverine floods and flash floods, which are further worsened by deforestation and poor land use. Urban areas, often built without adequate flood mitigation, face severe waterlogging and damage when torrential rains strike, as overbuilt landscapes and blocked drains fail to manage the sudden stormwater runoff.
In recent floods across Pakistan in 2025, major urban centers experienced acute flooding resulting in loss of lives, injuries, displacement, and destruction of homes and infrastructure. The lack of planned urban drainage is a critical factor aggravating flooding impacts alongside the climatic pressures from altered weather patterns.
Addressing this requires integrating climate adaptation with better urban planning and sustainable land use practices. Climate financing, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and accessible mental health services are essential for survival in the face of recurring disasters.
However, the mental health aspect is often overlooked. Nearly 78 percent of adults with mental health conditions in Pakistan remain untreated, with rates even higher for children. In Pakistan, mental health is rarely included in disaster relief efforts. Survivors in remote areas are left with invisible wounds that rarely heal due to limited resources and a fragile healthcare system.
The story of urban flooding in Pakistan is a tale of climate injustice. It is a call to action for the international community and Pakistan's leadership to prioritise climate adaptation, urban planning, and mental health services in their efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and build a more resilient future for all.
[1] BBC News (2022) Climate change intensifies Pakistan floods. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61749704
[2] Al Jazeera (2022) Pakistan floods: Death toll rises as millions displaced. [Online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/10/pakistan-floods-death-toll-rises-as-millions-displaced
[3] ShelterBox (n.d.) Pakistan Floods 2022. [Online] Available at: https://www.shelterbox.org/emergencies/pakistan-floods-2022/
[4] The Conversation (2022) Pakistan's devastating floods are a stark warning of the climate crisis. [Online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/pakistans-devastating-floods-are-a-stark-warning-of-the-climate-crisis-180364
- The climate-change induced floods in Pakistan have revealed the urgency for more attention to environmental-science research and policy-making, revealing the dire need to mitigate climate-change impacts on vulnerable regions.
- The political discussions surrounding climate-change and environmental-science must also address the mental-health consequences of these disasters, recognizing the long-term impacts on survivors and the importance of emphasizing holistic recovery efforts.
