The ravages of climate change that at one time seemed a distant possibility continue unabated across Pakistan and indeed across the world claiming innocent lives of young and old many of whom like in Pakistan were just caught in unexpected flash floods and landslides that killed at least 21 people in 24 hours across the country, taking the total country-wide death toll in these incidents to 242 in this season.
There were harrowing scenes in the affected areas in Pakistan as cars, along with their occupants, were swept away while helpless relatives watched and wailed. All this happening even though there were prior warnings of downpours and flash floods, which could not however predict the ferocity of the impending weather.
As always, the Pakistan Air Force came to the rescue and used a C-130 aircraft to rescue tourists and locals stranded in Gilgit-Baltistan due to severe weather conditions and washing away of roads and bridges. In the rescue operation involved, it evacuated 125 persons, including 82 civilians, 25 Pakistan Army personnel, and 18 Pakistan Air Force personnel, from Qadri to Nur Khan Airbase.
The operation was prompted by heavy rains and flash floods that had blocked roads, leaving many stranded, unprecedented in the history of this area. In Lahore and Islamabad, also lashed by unprecedented rains, the situation was no different. Both cities were like big swimming pools, and people living near major waterways like the Nulla Nai were warned to be ready for evacuation if the water reached a certain level, a rare event in this history of this major water drain.
Pakistan is not the only country where unusual weather incidents have started occurring, putting people’s lives in danger. It was not long ago that a Singapore Airlines flight encountered such severe turbulence that one of the passengers lost his life and several were injured.
This was considered a rare event, though it did raise the concern of frequent flyers. It seems it was not. Another such event occurred recently as twenty-five people aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam were hospitalized after the flight encountered “significant” turbulence and was diverted to Minneapolis-St. Paul, according to a handout from the airline.
The horrific nature of the turbulence was described by a passenger, who told reporters that passengers were lifted to the roof of the aeroplane and dashed back to their seats several times amidst screaming and shouting, creating an aura of fear. There were 275 passengers and 13 crew members on board.
The passengers described it as if you were on, like, a 300-foot-tall roller coaster drop where you come completely out of the seat, and the safety strapper bar is holding you into the roller coaster car. Quite a horrifying experience, especially when you least expect it, and it comes suddenly and with such full force.
Delta Air Lines Flight 56 landed safely at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to the airline. The flight was operating on an Airbus A330-900 with 275 passengers and 13 crew members on board. It was not long ago that a weather event also forced a flight from Karachi to Lahore to return to Karachi after a sudden sand storm during landing forced the aeroplane to return to Karachi after a harrowing experience by the passengers in which they were tossed around. The plane managed to come back to Karachi safely, but with memories of the passengers that will haunt them for a long time.
On the ground and in the air there are strong indications that climate change has not only arrived but is threatening us in different ways, posing in some cases extreme danger. Aviation has now slowly started feeling the pinch as already there are incidents in which perhaps due to the expertise of concerned pilots major tragedies were averted but for how long will this last? Those that still refuse to accept climate change have to rethink their stand and seriously consider options to tackle it while the world should seriously allocate resources to confront the growing challenge of climate change that continues to threaten mankind on the ground and in the air with a force that if it keeps growing might become impossible to handle in the future.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The writer is a well-known columnist