While rain and snow bring pleasure to many of us, they present a terrible threat to many who live in inadequate housing or in hostile territory. Rain, snow and flash floods triggered by this killed 14 people in Waziristan and Balochistan this past Saturday. Most of the deaths were caused when roofs collapsed or walls fell in, trapping people beneath them for hours. Inadequate rescue facilities may have added to the toll of death. But most of all it was caused by the conditions in which people live. Naturally, as has been the case time and again, those killed constituted some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.
The warnings about imminent rain and high winds in Balochistan had been issued days ago. It is, however, not clear what measures people were expected to take to safeguard themselves. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority in the province states that 1500 families in Lasbela and Dureji had to be rescued and emergency ration provided to another 3500 families in rain affected areas. It is worth exploring the question of whether the suffering of these people and others could have been averted through an emergency plan to better protect them. Taking preventive measures when natural disaster lurks is after all the chief function of the disaster management authorities.
Apart from the death toll, the rubble left by collapsed houses, the suspension of transport services and closure of communication routes with the rest of the country also continue to affect thousands of people in north and south Waziristan, Orakzai Agency and Balochistan where the Pak-Iran train service has also been suspended after damage to over 600 meters of track. While on an immediate basis people of course need to be provided the help they need, on a longer-term basis we should also be examining what mechanisms can be put into action when weather conditions threaten people. Evacuation from villages which are at particular risk offers one option as does the possibility of shifting people to safer buildings within their own areas of residence. We have seen natural disasters strike again and again in our country. Better housing for people is one way to save lives. This does not necessarily require resources but in some cases at least only the passing on of knowledge to people and how to construct safer structures and where to locate them. Such awareness-raising alone could help save lives.
