indh is facing unprecedented flooding, mainly due to record downpours in several districts of the province. The situation was under control until mid-August except for some ephemeral urban flooding in Karachi.

The rest of Sindh had received normal rains in July and during first half of August. On August 13, Meteorological Department issued an alarming weather advisory “vigorous monsoon activity in coming days”. Apparently ignored like a routine alert, the advisory warned of a heavy rain spell from August 16 to 18. On August 17, a senior official warned of a highly ominous rain system that was about to hit Sindh.

The following days saw incessant downpour in several districts of Sindh when clouds released sheets of water from skies. Some of the areas received more than 400mm rain within 48 hours. This unleashed an epic rain-flood that inundated hundreds of villages and several major towns across the province. The scale of devastation is shocking. Reports of deaths and destruction have kept coming with each passing day.

The extreme weather appeared to have caught the government off-guard. However, it was not entirely unanticipated. The media reported a menacing warning by Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman on June 20, exhorting disaster management authorities to brace for a disastrous monsoon ahead. The minister had also talked of a flood akin to 2010. Matching preparedness was still missing. Amid destructive rains, most of the pumping stations in many towns of Sindh were dysfunctional and failed to remove rainwater, leaving knee-deep pools in every street for several days.

In rural areas, the poorly maintained drainage network capitulated before the swelling flows from all directions. Negligence and corruption have already resulted in choking of centuries old waterways in districts. The 2010 floods had left deep scars on areas with blocked waterways. In response to public outcry, the Sindh Assembly enacted The Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) Act 2010 that envisaged 10-year imprisonment for encroachment on waterways.

In 2012, M/s The Louis Berger Group Inc prepared a regional plan for the Left Bank of Indus delta and coastline on behalf of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority. The study provided a detailed insight into narrowed and choked natural drainage paths and suggested a plan for rehabilitation of the drainage network.

In January 2021, the Sindh High Court ordered the removal of encroachments from the land of the Irrigation Department by June 30. However, the research and the decrees proved futile as Sindh was once again submerged due to clogged waterways.

The enormity of the weather extreme, the dilapidated drainage network and less than prepared administration led to the collapse of the system in a few days. Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Shahdad Kot, Noshehro Feroz, Moro and Nawabshah and several other towns of upper Sindh turned into a contiguous lake. Countless villages, small and large, were inundated and millions of homeless people started moving in search of illusionary dry land. Their torment was prolonged as all the land was under water and no relief awaited them.

The enormity of the weather, the dilapidated drainage network and a less than prepared administration led to the collapse of the system. Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Shahdad Kot, Noshehro Feroz, Moro and Nawabshah turned into a contiguous lake.

In contrast to the 2010 floods when only areas on the right bank of Indus River were devastated, this time the densely-populated left bank districts have also been submerged by flood water. These areas are the backbone of Sindh’s agricultural economy.

Meanwhile, heavy rains in bordering areas of Balochistan triggered ferocious torrents that converged at north-western foothills of Khirthar Range. An unmeasured spate from Balochistan wreaked havoc on the right bank districts of Sindh. This water traditionally flows southward to Manchar Lake through a channel called Nain Nara Valley Drain, lately converted in to Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD). The drain could not withstand the gushing flows this year and its banks breached resulting in flooding of Khairpur Nathan Shah after swamping a number of villages en route.

Painstaking efforts are afoot to save Mehar and Johi towns. The ravaging flood didn’t stop here. Despite the breach and diversion of considerable flow towards Khairpur Nathan Shah, a large amount of water continued to reach Manchar Lake, surpassing the levels reached during the 2010 floods. Manchar then became a ticking time bomb that threatened Sehwan Town and the adjoining areas. Sensing the risk of a devastating breach, the administration instead opted for controlled cuts near Sehwan.

In a normal circumstances, surplus water in Manchar Lake is drained to Indus River through two off-taking canals. However, inflow to Manchar Lake from MNV drain dwarfed its outflow to Indus. This consistently raised water level in the lake, making the situation explosive. In brief, a vast sheet of water trapped between Flood Protect (FP) Bund and right bank of Indus River from Shahdadkot to Sehwan has forced millions of people to leave their abodes for shabby camps.

In the meantime, upstream flows in Indus River remained in safe limits. Maximum flood at Guddu and Sukkur barrages remained below 600,000 cusecs. At one stage, a sudden surge of 300,000 cusecs in Kabul River created the fear of high flood at Guddu.

Guddu is the point of confluence of three major flows, including Indus River, hill torrents of Koh-i-Suleman and inflow from Chenab River at Panjnad. An ill-timed convergence of three high flows could have resulted in an unmanageable riverine flood.

Underestimation of floods and mass displacement of millions has bewildered the provincial government. It was unable to evacuate people from submerged settlements. It also failed to provide relief in an orderly manner. A large number of the affected people remained in the open without adequate food, water, shelter and sanitation. Scorching heat, stagnant water, mosquitos and snakes made life miserable for millions of people.

The catastrophic situation was ignored at the initial stage. Local media and social media were the only means for highlighting the unprecedented human tragedy.

Once the flood water recedes, the real quantum of disaster will surface. It will likely take several years and billions of rupees to rebuild Sindh from the ruins.

The writer is a development sector professional, nmemon2004@yahoo.com