Climate change turning rainfall into ‘monsoon monster’

Islamabad : The climate-induced flooding has become ‘less natural’ and ‘more disastrous’ due to the increase in the frequency of heavy floods in many parts of the country.

According to the ministry of climate change, Pakistan is facing rates of warming considerably above the global average and likely more frequent and intense extreme climate events.

The rainfall nationwide has been nearly three times higher than average and in worst-hit areas such as Sindh province, more than five times higher.

The relentless torrential rains have added to accelerated glacier melt in mountains, causing a climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.

Swollen rivers and gushing floodwaters are submerging towns, destroying buildings, and washing away villages, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure.

The federal government has estimated that the economic impact of the floods would be at least 10 billion dollars which would amount to around 3% of gross domestic product.

The experts have said that the warmer air is producing more rain because when the air temperature increases the clouds hold more water vapours and cause more water-intense or torrential downpours.

“The rise in the level of seawater has increased coastal flooding. The higher levels of temperatures at sea give higher temperature points to the clouds and indeed greater ability to enter farther over land,” they said.

The increasing frequency of flooding in Balochistan is sometimes attributed to these westerly weather influences, rather than the traditional eastern monsoon originating from the Bay of Bengal.

An official of the climate change ministry has said that Pakistan is at the front line, with extreme weather events, which was first seen early this year in terms of a heatwave, forest fires, multiple glacial lake outburst, flood events and now the monster monsoon of the decade.

“The international community should come forward and help Pakistan cope with this disaster because the developed countries are mainly responsible for the emission of carbon and greenhouse gases,” he said.