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PDC Updates | Aug 4, 2010
Man Saving Home
This picture seems to tell the story of a man trying to release the flow of deep, ocean-like flood waters, to prevent the flood from taking his home. As of Tuesday, August 3, local time, 1.3 ,million Pakistanis had lost their homes and livelihoods, with more monsoonal rains in the forecast. (Source: DJ Mick by way of Pastor Ravi Daniel Daniel)

PDC analysts and specialists are monitoring the monsoons and the resulting floods, and have provided reports and maps to multiple U.S. agencies involved in planning and managing this country’s share of the response to the flooding. One concern that has emerged in the process is that there are numerous dams in the flooded region that could be breached or destroyed by the flooding, which Reuters AlertNet calls the “worst in living memory.” The monsoon season, and the storms traditionally continue in various areas of Pakistan and India through the first week in September, another five weeks. So, the disaster that is in progress now is likely to continue and worsen for some time.

Pakistan Flooding
Flooding in Pakistan had already affected, according to Reuters, more than 3 million people as of Tuesday, August 3, with no end in sight.

According to U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesman Abdul Sami Malik, as reported by Reuters, “of the 3 million affected, 1.3 million had lost homes and livelihoods.” And, Amjad Jamal, speaking on behalf of the U.N. World Food Programme, said, “an estimated 1.8 million people were in dire need of water, food and shelter.” He added, “some people were being bitten by water snakes.” The U.S. embassy has announced $10 million in immediate humanitarian aid, “with more to be earmarked as necessary.” The U.S. is also providing prefabricated bridges and rescue boats, and U.S. helicopters are helping in rescue operations.

The general synoptic weather situation shows that a low pressure system lies over Baluchistan and adjoining areas. In addition, a low pressure system over Rajasthan and adjoining areas prevails. A strong southeast wet monsoon current is penetrating into the sub-mountain region of Punjab and Kashmir, up to about 5,000 feet. The 24 hour forecast calls for widespread thunderstorms and rain, with isolated heavy rainfall expected over Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa. Scattered thunderstorms with rain are expected over northeast Baluchistan, Upper Sind, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. The outlook for the next 48 hours shows little change.

PDC Flood Disaster Response
Click on the map-inset above to see one of PDC’s maps providing an overview of the Pakistan flooding for disaster response agencies.

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