Pakistan reels following catastrophic flooding, damage
A devastating annual occurrence, the heavy monsoon rainfalls in Punjab, Pakistan have left much of the country submerged in its worst flooding in decades. The devastation has displaced millions, destroyed vital infrastructure, and wiped out crops in one of the country’s most fertile regions, sparking fears of long-term food insecurity and health crises.
photo courtesy of Mint News
According to Amtul Sara, a member of the Oshkosh community with familial ties to the region, the scale of the disaster is staggering.
“4.7 million people have been impacted. 8,400 houses were damaged or destroyed,” she said. “People need basic necessities, like clothes, hygiene items, working toilets, food, shelter and medication.”
Government reports confirm the destruction: 239 bridges and nearly 700 kilometers of roads have been washed away, cutting off access to entire villages.
“Over 2.2 million hectares of cropland—much of Punjab’s province—lies under water, wiping out crops that were ready for harvest,” Sara said. “Punjab is a province that feeds the nation. All crops and livestock have been wiped out. This will result in food shortages and high food prices.”
The impact of the floods has fallen on rural communities. The most vulnerable have been hit hardest, according Mufleha Ahmad, a Humanity First volunteer and graduate in International Development from American University.
“As is the case with the vast majority of weather disasters around the world, the people most affected are those who were already marginalized,” she said. “People lost homes, cattle, and farmland. These are folks who were living in mud-homes or very basic conditions. There is no insurance system to bail them out. They have to start over or rely on aid.”
Sara recognizes that health concerns exacerbate the crisis.
“Waterborne diseases such as malaria and dengue are on the rise, with fears of cholera outbreaks,” she said.
Ahmad adds to the list of dangers that arise after flooding.
“The aftermath of floods also means increased risk of waterborne diseases and dangers from lurking reptiles and animals in the water,” she said. “Along with skyrocketing prices on produce and other necessities, people are facing incredible hardship. This was one of the worst floods Punjab, Pakistan has seen in over 30 years.”
Sara stresses that while climate change is a key driver, other human-caused factors have intensified the devastation.
“All of these factors have contributed to this disaster,” she said. “Deforestation increases runoff, urbanization and encroachment block natural flows. Climate change is increasing the intensity and volume of monsoon rains.”
John Reiland, an environmental science teacher at West, agreed that the crisis cannot be blamed on climate change alone.
“It comes from changing the landscape,” he said. “Places flood because we’ve changed the shape of the rivers, so they can’t hold as much water. Yes, climate change shifts weather patterns and can bring more rain, but the land itself has also been changed—and it doesn’t have the natural resilience it once did.”
Reiland also pointed to the role of population growth and land use.
“It can’t just be climate change,” he said. “Development and land use changes have made it worse. In Pakistan, you have about 360 million people living in a small area—the same number as the entire United States, but in a fraction of the space. To support that population, the land is constantly being reshaped, and that contributes too.”
Sara feels Pakistan must rethink its disaster preparedness.
“Dams were built to store water, but climate change has dramatically altered the average rainfall,” she said. “These dams can no longer hold such large amounts of water, and when their capacity is exceeded, water must be released or the structures risk destruction.”
Sara also called for better communication within communities.
“People were warned and asked to evacuate, but not all communication reached rural areas. Warnings are not broadcast in local languages,” she said. “Alerts should be sent through radio or text messages.”
Looking ahead, Sara stressed that adaptation will be critical.
“Experts are saying that floods will be the new normal in Pakistan,” she said. “It has to adapt by prioritizing rainwater harvesting, urban water reuse, restoring wetlands and floodplains, watershed management and forestation. These steps might help cut flood devastation.”
Reiland added that both natural and engineered solutions will be key.
“Maybe by restoring natural rivers and lakes, letting them flow the way they’re meant to,” he said. “Communities can also build protections or use engineering solutions like dams. Here in Wisconsin, we have a series of dams that control water flow and help manage flooding. Those kinds of measures could help in Pakistan too.”
by Jazbia Farooq
Published October 6, 2025
Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue I