Injuries in the notorious floods 2011

Though not as devastating as the 2010, the floods of 2011 could not have been more abrasive. Before the forecasted calamitous monsoons hit the land once again in 2012 with hardly any preparatory measures so far, a quick glance at the damages makes a lot of sense. The disastrous floods of 2011 of record scale in the southern region of the country affected all 23 districts of Sindh and 14 districts of Balochistan. While the destruction brought by these floods to the national economy is beyond imagination, what slips off every ones mind is the compounded affect as many people were still waiting to recuperate from a similar and a year-old catastrophe. Besides the lives lost during the havoc, agriculture and livestock as the major sufferer is no wild guess. However, the magnitude of the brutality is solidified by the damages and cost estimations presented in the recent economic survey. Accordingly, the damages mounted to Rs.160 billion for the sector. With majority of the destruction in southern parts of Sindh agriculture, the floods not only affected the fruit, vegetables and major cash-earning crops directly, but also derailed the success rates of the upcoming Rabi crop and the Kharif season. At the same time the livestock population tumbled in no time. What else could be more horrifying than almost half a million houses washed away and another half are in pitiable condition? With a total destruction worth more than Rs.85 million, the housing sector s second highly affected sector with great damages to construction units. Well it doesn end here. The transportation and communication sectors also got wounded with the roads and railway tracks not being able to survive the harsh waters. And the list goes on with the financial sector, private and industrial sector, education, environment, energy, health all next in line in descending order of destruction. Nothing would be as good if this were all and things could ricochet to where they were once the calamity was over. The future remains elusive due to the heavy reconstruction cost that comes with the mayhem. The total cost of recovery and reconstruction as estimated in economic survey 2011-12 stalls very close to the total damages incurred. It is depressing and frightening at the same time that more needs to be done than just a realisation of the devastation, especially with the deadly forthcoming monsoon season. Having combated two floods, there are lessons to be taken, definitely more than estimating the damage and recovery. From valuable efforts for stimulating better disaster risk management to rehabilitation plans, much needs to be done within a narrow span of a couple of months. One cannot help but wonder if it is already too late for any preventive and protective efforts as the possible horror is peeping around the corner.