468,000 Pakistanis still live by contaminated flood water — UN

Arab News Pakistan
A worker repairs a dusty road surrounded by remaining water of last year's floods, near Therhi town in Khairpur, a district of Pakistan's Sindh province, Saturday, May 20, 2023. (AP)
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  • June 22 marked one year to historic rains and flooding that affected over 30 million people
  • Pakistan’s climate minister warns of floods again this year due to higher-than-normal temperatures in north

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said on Friday at least 468,000 people were still living close to contaminated flood waters, according to latest imagery from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).

June 22 marked one year to historic monsoon rains and flooding that affected more than 30 million people, with at least 1,700 people killed.

“According to the latest imagery from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), 468,000 people still live by contaminated & stagnant floodwater, down from one million people in May,” UNOCHA said.

In its report, UNOSAT said between June 16 to 20 2023, approximately three million people were potentially exposed or living close to maximum floodwaters areas.

“Approximately 468,000 people are potentially exposed or living close to minimum floodwaters areas between 16 to 20 June 2023,” it said.

“Based on satellite observations between 16 to 20 June 2023 and compared with observations between 26 to 30 April 2023, the maximum flood water extent appears to increase approximately ~ 2,000 km² in Sindh and ~ 3,500 km² in Punjab.”

Pakistan’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman warned this week the country was once again at risk of floods due to higher-than-normal temperatures in the country’s north.

“With temperatures in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expected to be 4-6 degrees higher than normal, the risk of flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) is on the rise,” Rehman wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday.

“District administrations, local organizations, and communities must remain vigilant and take precautionary measures, especially during the upcoming week, coinciding with Eid ul Azha. Let's prioritize safety.”

Pakistan, she said, was home to more glaciers than any other country outside the polar reg­ion.

According to the Global Climate Risk Index (2021), Pakistan ranks the eighth most vulnerable country in the world to long-term climate risk.