Pakistan's Call to Action: Strengthening Disaster Readiness Amid Rising Risks

The United Nations urges Pakistan to enhance disaster risk strategies as the country faces increased threats from natural disasters and climate change. The report highlights vulnerabilities due to geographical and political factors, with a particular focus on strengthening early warning systems and community resilience ahead of anticipated monsoon rains.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has called on Pakistan to urgently enhance its disaster risk reduction strategies amid escalating vulnerabilities to natural calamities. This alert comes as warnings of heavy monsoon rains and threats of glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs), flash floods, and landslides loom, as reported by Dawn.

A UNOCHA report underscores Pakistan's precarious position, with its geographical placement along tectonic fault lines and susceptibility to extreme climate conditions. These are further exacerbated by political instability and regional conflicts, highlighting an urgent need to bolster disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, and community resilience, according to Dawn.

The report notes that devastating floods, such as those in 2022 affecting over 30 million people, highlight the dire economic consequences, accounting for nearly six percent of the national GDP. With anticipated monsoon rains and climate change triggering more extreme weather, the PMD warns of potential urban flooding in northern Pakistan and risks in areas like PoGB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as reported by Dawn.

(With inputs from agencies.)