The coastal city of Karachi is expected to receive monsoon rainfall this week. The only question remains is whether the city will be able to withstand the onslaught of heavy downpours or will it suffer the same fate each year.
The PMD has already forecast that rainfall will arrive early this year. The city is expected to receive pre-monsoon rainfall in the last week of June. It has also predicted the downpours this year will be much higher and we could experience record-breaking monsoon rains due to climate change. The monsoon season will also be much longer and will span July, August, and September.
This implies that there will be even greater destruction in the aftermath of the rains unless authorities have learned valuable lessons from their mistakes in recent years. The city authorities claim they are prepared for the rainfalls as the stormwater drains have been cleaned. But it will only be known when the city receives its first downpour.
Karachi received its heaviest torrential rains in 2020. At least 13 people were killed in urban flooding and much of the financial hub was inundated. Even the upscale localities were without electricity for days. In August that year, Karachi received more than 484mm of rain, which is more than ten times the monthly normal. The horrors were a wake-up call for authorities and city planners.
Although time may be short on hand, the government should take precautionary measures to prevent flood-like situation to save lives and property. Unfortunately, successive governments have failed to work on flood protection and proper urban planning. Perhaps we are waiting for another catastrophe before we take matters seriously.
Pakistan is already one of the worst affected by climate change and environmental degradation, loss of forest cover is a big challenge. The rest of the country is also facing the aftermath such as heat waves, forest fires, mudslides, flash floods, and glacial lake outbursts. We cannot escape these disasters but we need to increase our preparedness to mitigate the consequences.
Majority of the people who live in slum areas of Karachi are vulnerable to urban flooding while authorities are focused on posh localities. We hope the damage this year will be lessened and precious lives and properties which fall victims to torrential rains will be saved. We pray for the best.
