Opinion

Urban flooding in Pakistan

Causes and solutions

Asma Ghafoor
By Asma Ghafoor
70

Extreme periods of rain-induced flooding have occurred in Pakistan’s cities, both large and small, throughout the past few decades, resulting in fatalities and property destruction. This is a result of our cities’ lack of readiness to handle the erratic rains.

Pakistan bears the burden of the annual monsoon season’s intense rainfall and the ensuing losses from severe flooding. These losses include human casualties, destruction of homes and property, harm to crops and livestock, and degradation of land along rivers and nullahs. However, as soon as the monsoon season ends, the governments, the relevant organisations, and even the people themselves forget the effects of floods and losses until they happen again the next year. Without any future planning or vision, this process has been ongoing for decades.

The National Disaster Management Authority and other government agencies have a misconception that the monsoon is a natural calamity and that nothing can be done about it. The authorities then wait for another incident to occur. This is a misguided idea and incorrect perspective. It is true that rainfall during the monsoon season is a natural occurrence, but there are numerous ways to manage the monsoon’s rainwater with careful preparation.

In order to take corrective action, the meteorological department predicts the weather and amount of precipitation in different regions of the nation well in advance. Furthermore, why are governments unable to permanently establish plans to prevent the aforementioned losses annually?  All of this is a result of the government’s instability, inefficiency, and constantly shifting policies. Urban flooding is a serious issue brought on by excessive rainfall, poor drainage systems, and fast urbanisation, especially in Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi. These floods cause infrastructure damage, disturb daily life, and endanger public health by spreading waterborne illnesses.

In order to internalise urban floods, planners and the government must largely agree on how the city should develop and grow without compromising its natural drainage capacity nor causing harm to the environment. Lahore, previously known as the “city of gardens,” is regrettably now known as the “city of concrete.” There are currently about 14 million people living there across an area of more than 1,770 square km.

With cities growing and agricultural land being turned into residential and commercial sectors, Pakistan has seen substantial urbanization in recent years. With half of Pakistan’s population expected to live in cities by 2050 due to migration from rural areas and a high pace of population increase, planners face a significant issue as urban flooding rates rise. Because of this unplanned and careless urbanization, wetlands and open places that naturally absorb water have been destroyed, increasing surface runoff when it’s raining a lot. The natural flow of water is impeded by encroachments on natural drainage channels, including rivers, streams, and canals.

Along with other extreme weather events like thunderstorms and hurricanes, urbanization itself contributes to excessive rainfall, which is one of the primary causes of urban floods in the majority of regions of developing nations like ours.

Pakistan is particularly susceptible to the consequences of climate change, such as more frequent and intense rains. Rapid and intense rainstorms brought on by shifting weather patterns exceed the current drainage infrastructure and result in urban floods.

Pakistan must prioritize sustainable urban growth, make investments in cutting-edge drainage systems, preserve natural water absorption zones, and construct water reservoirs in order to lessen the impact of future calamities. The only way the nation can effectively control urban flooding and protect lives and livelihoods is by proactive planning, coordinated governance, and public awareness

Urban flooding during the rainy season exacerbates a sewage infrastructure that is already in ruins. What will happen to all the extra water? Exactly nowhere!

Because of altered weather patterns, increased precipitation, melting glaciers, and other factors, climate change is one of the main causes of urban flooding. Frequently, the current infrastructure is overloaded, resulting in flooding and waterlogging. Similarly, rivers that overflow their banks may also be a major factor in the submersion of populated regions.

Urban sprawl and other human activities affect the environment. The main causes of urban flooding in major cities include unsustainable development on natural drainage paths and riverbeds, as well as the encroachment of open spaces and agricultural land.

Waterways are contaminated when natural areas are converted for development, which lowers ground absorption and speeds up surface flow, raising the danger of flooding.

Poor waste management techniques, such as incorrect trash disposal and debris buildup in drains, can impede water flow and cause localised flooding.

Authorities can take a variety of actions to try to avoid rainfall-induced urban floods, including halting the unchecked growth of cities and enhancing infrastructure in general.

Water and sewerage management authorities must upgrade the drainage system and subterranean pipes to prevent sewers from backing up during the monsoon season in order to prevent urban flooding brought on by rainfall. Furthermore, it may be wise to install new pipelines to separate wastewater and rainwater. It would enable treatment facilities to appropriately handle water without being overloaded by contaminated runoff.

Additionally, responsible government agencies and local governments should ensure that sediment, tree roots, and debris do not clog the sewer systems. Storm water would be able to drain efficiently and instantly with routine cleanups.

One of the main causes of congested pipelines is plastic, which city dwellers should pledge to use less of. We can also avoid contaminating rivers and drains by not dumping oils or other corrosive materials down them. People who live close by can try making the public parks in their neighbourhoods better by adding additional grass and trees.

In order to develop a plan for directing the rainwater that eventually becomes an unmanageable flood, the federal government, provincial governments, and the NDMA must also do a thorough introspection.

Furthermore, sending out flood warnings, visiting flood-affected areas, and offering pitiful compensation is not the answer. Regretfully, no government has devised a system to guarantee efficient actions to manage the flood and the resulting damages.

The development of a system to manage Pakistan’s floods is urgently needed. Finding locations for the development of small and medium-sized water reservoirs and water storage dams would be the primary prerequisite for this.

Four main goals would be served by these water reservoirs and dams: preventing rainwater from entering low-lying areas, which can lead to flooding and destruction; using the stored water for year-round agricultural purposes through a canal system; providing drinking water to areas where water is scarce; and producing inexpensive electricity to help the nation overcome its power shortages because hydroelectricity is the least expensive and cleanest energy source.

Poor urban design, inadequate drainage infrastructure, climate change, and unchecked urbanization are the main causes of Pakistan’s recurrent and worsening urban flooding crisis. Although there are some natural causes, such as intense monsoon rains, the main problems are human carelessness, a lack of readiness, and a lack of policy.

Pakistan must prioritize sustainable urban growth, make investments in cutting-edge drainage systems, preserve natural water absorption zones, and construct water reservoirs in order to lessen the impact of future calamities. The only way the nation can effectively control urban flooding and protect lives and livelihoods is by proactive planning, coordinated governance, and public awareness.

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Asma Ghafoor
Asma Ghafoor
The writer is a freelance columnist

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