More than 2 million people have been evacuated in Pakistan’s Punjab province after floods ravaged the country’s eastern region. According to the concerned authorities, another 150,000 people will be evacuated in Sindh province. The National Disaster Management Chief, Inam Haider Malik, told reporters on Thursday that these numbers may rise over the coming days.

So far, monsoon rains have killed more than 900 people in Pakistan since late June. According to updates from the International Medical Corps on Friday, the floods have destroyed large areas of farmland and houses and have devastated residents of Pakistan, 40% of whom live below the poverty line.

Climate Change and Flood

Climate change has worsened the flood situation in Pakistan, as heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow. Critics also blame the lack of government investment in disaster mitigation, such as alert systems and infrastructure. While many families are choosing to stay back in their homes to protect their property despite the flood risk, rescue teams are going door-to-door to relocate villagers and livestock by boat. But this method carries its own risks, as small boats are forced to contend with strong currents. On top of this, Pakistan’s geography makes it extremely difficult to tackle climate change, leaving the country vulnerable in the face of both heat and rain. Melting glaciers have also created lakes that are at risk of glacial outbursts.

Another nine people died on Tuesday after a rescue boat carrying flood victims capsized in the Indus River. Days earlier, five people died in a similar incident around Jalalpur Peer Wala city.

Floods have also caused problems in neighbouring India, killing at least 30 people and affecting more than 354,000. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority stated that it has delivered tons of relief supplies, including blankets, tents, and water filtration devices, to flood-hit areas in Punjab. Malik also said that it will take weeks for the water to dry before the government can start rehabilitation work in thousands of villages and fields.

The United Nations allocated $5 million this week to support Pakistan’s flood response. The US State Department also approved funding and the deployment of disaster response personnel. This is the first assistance of its kind during Trump’s second term.

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