Nature’s Fury & Governance Negligence
A Tale of Torrential Rainfall, Glacier Bursts and Floods in Pakistan
Written By: Ms. Aneesa Aslam
“Let us not flatter ourselves overmuch on account of our human victories over nature. For each such victory, nature takes its revenge on us.” — Friedrich Engels
Pakistan’s recurring floods, glacial hazards, extreme rainfall and cloudbursts demonstrate the growing consequences of climate change and weak disaster governance.
Scorching temperatures, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, glacial lake outbursts, torrential rains, inundated landscapes, destroyed infrastructure and human losses increasingly demonstrate how environmental degradation can transform into national catastrophe.
For decades, human beings have attempted to dominate nature through rapid industrialisation and unsustainable development.
Today, climate-intensified disasters demonstrate the limits of this approach.
The crisis, however, cannot be attributed to nature alone.
Natural hazards become disasters when poor planning, weak institutions and inadequate preparedness expose communities to avoidable risks.
When the Clouds Weep, Humanity Sinks Deep
A cloudburst is an extremely intense and localised rainfall event.
The source defines it as rainfall exceeding approximately 100 millimetres within one hour over an area generally smaller than 10 kilometres.
Cloudbursts occur when warm and humid air rises, condenses and produces extremely heavy precipitation over a limited geographical area.
These events can rapidly trigger:
- Flash floods
- Landslides
- Mudslides
- Urban flooding
- Infrastructure destruction
- Loss of life
Climate expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh is cited in the source as noting that every 1°C rise in temperature can enable the atmosphere to hold approximately 7 percent more moisture.
This increases the potential for more intense rainfall events.
Climate Change and Intensifying Monsoons
Monsoon rainfall has historically caused floods in Pakistan, but the source argues that broader climatic transformation is increasing the intensity of these events.
The article also links intensified rainfall with changes in the Pacific Ocean associated with ENSO conditions.
These natural climatic variations can interact with global warming and produce stronger monsoon patterns across South Asia.
Pakistan therefore faces a combination of:
- Long-term climate change
- Natural climatic variability
- Geographical vulnerability
- Weak disaster preparedness
Cloudburst Disasters in Northern Pakistan
The source identifies frequent cloudburst events in:
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Gilgit-Baltistan
- Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Buner experienced one of the most devastating episodes described in the article.
The area reportedly received more than 150 mm of rainfall within one hour and nearly 300 mm within three hours.
The event resulted in extensive destruction and significant loss of life.
PDMA data cited in the source shows exceptionally high rainfall totals in several areas:
- Buner — approximately 350 mm
- Swat — approximately 280 mm
- Chitral — approximately 240 mm
These totals were described as roughly 300–400 percent above normal historical August rainfall.
Areas of Azad Kashmir, including Dhman Pakhonaar, Goharabad and Nasirabad, were also affected by torrential rainfall.
The consequences extended beyond immediate casualties to economic, social and infrastructural disruption.
Learning from the Copenhagen Cloudburst Management Plan
Pakistan can draw important lessons from Copenhagen’s response to extreme rainfall.
The Copenhagen approach demonstrates how cities can move away from treating rainwater only as a threat and instead design urban spaces to absorb, slow, store and redirect excess water.
This concept is closely linked with the idea of a sponge city.
Instead of relying exclusively on underground drainage networks, Copenhagen increasingly adopted Blue-Green Infrastructure.
This approach redesigns:
- Parks
- Roads
- Public spaces
- Green corridors
- Water plazas
to temporarily hold or divert stormwater.
The source refers to hundreds of connected projects involving:
- Retention parks
- Green roadways
- Bioswales
- Catchment areas
- Water plazas
Such systems reduce pressure on drainage networks and help cities manage cloudbursts more effectively.
Rising Water and Sinking Hope
The Recurrence of Floods in Pakistan
Flooding is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan.
The country’s geography, river systems, monsoon climate and regional water dynamics have historically exposed it to flood risk.
However, the source argues that what was once considered a major once-in-a-decade disaster is increasingly becoming a recurring national emergency.
The effects now threaten:
- Human security
- Economic stability
- Infrastructure
- Agriculture
- Education
- National security
The increasing frequency and intensity of floods demand a fundamental change in Pakistan’s disaster-management strategy.
Reactive Governance: Waiting for Disaster
The article strongly criticises Pakistan’s tendency to adopt a reactive rather than preventive approach.
Despite repeated warnings about extreme weather, policymakers often respond only after floods have already occurred.
This means that disaster management becomes centred on:
- Emergency rescue
- Relief camps
- Compensation
- Post-disaster reconstruction
instead of:
- Risk reduction
- Preparedness
- Early warning
- Climate adaptation
- Resilient infrastructure
“Floods are acts of God, but flood losses are largely acts of man.” — Gilbert F. White
The quotation captures the central argument of the source: rainfall may be natural, but governance determines how destructive it becomes.
Pakistan’s History of Devastating Floods
| Year | Death Toll | Economic Loss | People Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 508 | $2.5 billion | 11 million |
| 1992 | 1,008 | $1.8 billion | 9.3 million |
| 2010 | 1,985 | $43 billion | 20 million |
| 2022 | 1,739 | $30 billion | 33 million |
| 2025 | 1,002 | $1.4 billion | 6.9 million |
The repeated recurrence of large-scale flooding demonstrates that Pakistan’s vulnerability is structural rather than temporary.
Unprecedented Deluge: Floods of 2025
The source describes the 2025 floods as another major national disaster.
Heavy rainfall initially affected northern areas but later spread towards central and southern regions.
The situation worsened as rivers including the:
- Chenab
- Ravi
- Sutlej
experienced severe flooding.
Major population centres including Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore were affected.
According to figures cited from NDMA and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:
- 1,002 people died
- 1,063 were injured
- 6.9 million people were affected
- 12,569 houses were damaged or destroyed
- 239 bridges were damaged
The floods struck a country that was still struggling to recover from the catastrophic floods of 2022.
From Silo Management to Integrated Climate Governance
The source argues that isolated responses are no longer sufficient.
Pakistan requires an integrated disaster-management framework combining:
- Preparedness
- Mitigation
- Response
- Recovery
- Climate adaptation
Rather than repeatedly designing new strategies, Pakistan should also adopt successful practices already demonstrated internationally.
Climate Budget Tagging in Budget 2025–26
The federal government introduced Climate Budget Tagging in the FY 2025–26 budget.
This represents an attempt to connect public expenditure more directly with national climate priorities.
The system is designed to track and monitor climate-sensitive spending and link expenditure with the National Climate Change Policy.
The source states that approximately 5,000 cost centres were tagged across around 40 climate-related subcategories.
It also notes that approximately 35 percent of non-tax revenue was classified as climate-relevant.
Climate-Related Budget Allocations
According to the article, allocations included approximately:
- Rs 603 billion for mitigation
- Rs 85.4 billion for adaptation
- Rs 28.3 billion for climate awareness and capacity building
These allocations indicate growing recognition that climate change is not simply an environmental issue but a national fiscal and development priority.
Recommendations
Floods are increasingly becoming a new normal in Pakistan.
The country must therefore shift from emergency relief towards long-term resilience.
1. Construct Dams for Water Storage
Pakistan needs additional water-storage capacity.
Dams cannot eliminate floods completely, but they can help store excess water and reduce downstream flood peaks.
They can also support:
- Hydroelectric power generation
- Irrigation
- Water security
- Drought management
The aim of dam construction should therefore be integrated water management rather than presenting dams as a complete solution to flooding.
2. Restore Green Spaces and Wetlands
Wetlands and green spaces perform important natural flood-management functions.
They:
- Slow water flow
- Absorb excess rainfall
- Reduce runoff
- Protect biodiversity
- Improve urban resilience
The source refers to recommendations from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre supporting restoration of:
- Wetlands
- Floodplains
- Vegetation
- Natural levee systems
as flood-management tools.
3. Recharge Aquifers
Groundwater recharge can help restore the natural absorption capacity of land.
Measures such as:
- Percolation ponds
- Infiltration wells
allow excess rainwater to move into underground aquifers rather than remaining on the surface.
This can reduce inundation while simultaneously improving groundwater availability.
4. Adopt the Netherlands’ “Room for the River” Strategy
The Netherlands provides another useful international model.
Its Room for the River strategy accepts that rivers need sufficient natural space during periods of high flow.
Rather than continuously attempting to constrain rivers, planners redesign surrounding areas to accommodate excess water safely.
Pakistan can apply similar principles by:
- Removing illegal encroachments
- Regulating construction in floodplains
- Introducing strict flood zoning
- Restoring natural river corridors
This would reduce the number of people and assets directly exposed to floodwaters.
5. Adopt Community-Based Disaster Management
Climate resilience cannot be achieved through government institutions alone.
Local communities must be involved throughout the disaster-management cycle.
This includes:
- Preparedness
- Mitigation
- Response
- Recovery
The source cites Bangladesh and Bhutan as examples of states that have invested in community-based early-warning systems.
Local participation allows warnings to reach vulnerable populations faster and improves evacuation planning.
Communities should therefore be treated as active disaster-management partners rather than passive recipients of relief.
6. Utilise Green Funds for Climate Resilience
Pakistan should make more effective use of international climate-finance opportunities.
The source refers to a climate-finance portfolio of approximately USD 249 million involving multiple projects.
Selected Climate Projects
| Project | Approved / Cited Amount |
|---|---|
| Scaling Up GLOF Risk Reduction in Northern Areas | USD 37.5 million — UNDP |
| Transforming the Indus Basin with Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Climate-Smart Water Management | USD 47 million — FAO |
| Green BRT Karachi | USD 583 million — ADB |
| Pakistan Distributed Solar Project | USD 54 million — JS Bank |
| Recharge Pakistan | USD 77.8 million — WWF |
| Community Resilience Partnership Regional Program | USD 20–25 million — ADB |
| Acumen Climate Action Pakistan Fund | USD 3 million grant and USD 25 million equity |
The article argues that such resources should be directed towards resilient infrastructure, climate adaptation and disaster-risk reduction.
Governance Negligence: Why Natural Hazards Become National Disasters
The central argument of the article is that climate change alone cannot explain Pakistan’s flood losses.
Governance failures magnify natural hazards.
These include:
- Weak land-use planning
- Encroachment on floodplains
- Inadequate drainage systems
- Limited water-storage capacity
- Weak enforcement of building regulations
- Poor coordination among institutions
- Reactive disaster management
- Insufficient community preparedness
A country facing increasingly intense climate hazards cannot continue treating disaster management primarily as a post-event relief exercise.
From Disaster Response to Disaster Risk Reduction
Pakistan must shift towards a risk-reduction approach.
This requires investment before disasters occur.
Priority areas include:
- Early-warning systems
- Climate-resilient infrastructure
- Floodplain mapping
- Drainage upgrades
- Glacial monitoring
- Community evacuation planning
- Wetland restoration
- Urban sponge infrastructure
Every rupee spent on prevention can potentially reduce much larger future reconstruction costs.
Climate Change as a National Security Challenge
Repeated climate disasters should no longer be viewed only as environmental events.
Floods increasingly threaten:
- Food security
- Water security
- Human security
- Public health
- Economic stability
- Infrastructure
- Internal displacement
Climate resilience must therefore become part of Pakistan’s broader national-security planning.
Way Forward
1. Institutionalise Climate Budgeting
Climate Budget Tagging should be accompanied by transparent monitoring of whether funds actually reach mitigation and adaptation projects.
2. Shift from Reactive to Preventive Governance
Disaster preparedness must begin before monsoon rains arrive.
3. Develop Sponge Cities
Urban areas should increasingly use Blue-Green Infrastructure to absorb and store stormwater.
4. Strengthen Floodplain Regulation
Illegal construction and settlement in high-risk zones should be controlled through effective zoning.
5. Expand Early-Warning Systems
Warnings must reach vulnerable communities quickly and in understandable formats.
6. Strengthen GLOF Monitoring
Northern Pakistan requires improved glacier surveillance and early-warning mechanisms.
7. Restore Natural Ecosystems
Wetlands, forests and floodplains should be treated as climate infrastructure.
8. Improve Water Storage
Additional reservoirs and groundwater-recharge systems should be integrated into national water planning.
9. Mobilise Climate Finance
Pakistan should strengthen its ability to access and effectively utilise international climate funds.
10. Empower Local Communities
Disaster resilience must be built from the community level upward.
Conclusion
Pakistan has become one of the countries most severely affected by climate change and increasingly faces recurrent cloudbursts, floods, glacial hazards and extreme rainfall.
These events are causing enormous infrastructural, economic, educational and human losses.
The introduction of Climate Budget Tagging in FY 2025–26 represents an important recognition of the scale of the challenge.
However, budgetary allocations alone cannot create climate resilience.
Pakistan requires a comprehensive approach combining:
- Mitigation
- Adaptation
- Disaster preparedness
- Infrastructure reform
- Community participation
- Effective water management
International models such as Copenhagen’s Cloudburst Management Plan and the Netherlands’ Room for the River strategy provide practical lessons that can be adapted to Pakistani conditions.
Construction of dams, restoration of wetlands and green spaces, groundwater recharge, climate-smart urban planning and stronger early-warning systems can collectively reduce future losses.
Nature may produce torrential rainfall, glacier bursts and floods, but governance determines whether these hazards remain manageable or become catastrophes. Pakistan’s challenge is therefore not simply to survive nature’s fury, but to overcome the institutional negligence that repeatedly transforms climate hazards into national disasters.
