urad Bakhsh, a fisherman by trade, and his family were forced to seek refuge in a neighbour’s house when Gwadar was struck with floods brought on by winter rains.

Over a week has passed since then but his house is still inundated; his family still displaced. “The rain pelted us for two days. The floodwater has damaged all our belongings. We have nothing to eat. We don’t even have clean drinking water,” says Bakhsh.

It began raining on the evening of February 27. The rain continued for two days straight, flooding the seaside metropolis. A significant number of houses was damaged, resulting in numerous injuries.

The recently inaugurated prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif made a visit to Gwadar, during which he unveiled a relief package aimed at aiding the district’s residents.

He pledged support for the reconstruction of damaged homes and assured the provision of 7,000 ration bags daily to those displaced. Sharif stressed the need for swift action and directed that compensation packages be distributed amongst the affected families.

Floodwater has wrought havoc on countless lives, leaving a trail of displacement and devastation in its wake. Thousands find themselves uprooted from their homes while hundreds mourn the loss of shelter and livelihoods. Agricultural fields lie submerged beneath the swelling waters, exacerbating the crisis. Surrounding villages now find themselves marooned, isolated from essential aid and rescue efforts due to inundated roads and severed connections to the main city and highways.

This is not the first time there has been a flood in Gwadar. Residents remember the floods of 2005 and 2010 all too clearly. The recent drainage disaster that the city faced is more evidence that it is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially urban flooding. Murad Bakhsh, among countless other residents, faces the brunt of the crisis.

The inefficiency of the drains has aggravated the situation. Puddles still dot the urban landscape. Despite declarations of emergency, efforts by government organisations remain inadequate, leaving citizens to fend for themselves in the battle against rainwater.

In the midst of a challenging predicament, Murad Bakhsh looks towards the government for relief. He hopes that the authorities take action to mitigate the hardships faced by his community. Bakhsh calls for prompt removal of water inundating homes and neighbourhoods.

The primary concern is the city’s geographical layout. A significant portion of the historic neighbourhoods sit in low elevation zones. Conversely, the newly constructed East Bay Expressway and Marine Drive are positioned at higher elevations.

Recently, Zahid Rafi, the chief meteorologist at the Meteorological Department, briefed the media on the current weather pattern affecting Gwadar. He explained that the ongoing rainfall in the region originated from the west, traversed through the Gulf countries and precipitated over the southwestern areass of Pakistan.

Rafi said that recent heavy rainfall in Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE was also attributed to this weather system. “We’re up against climate change. Such incidents are becoming more common,” said Rafi.

The meteorologist noted that the intensity of the rainfall in Gwadar was within the expected range, given the prior tracking of the weather system. He anticipated snowfall in the upper regions of Balochistan and torrential rainfall in the lower areas.

Dr Mah Rang Baloch, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader convened a press conference at the Gwadar Press Club, shedding light on the pressing issue of flooding. She blamed the calamity on what she called “misguided infrastructure policies.”

An important factor in this regard is the city’s topolgy. A significant portion of the historic neighbourhoods sit in low elevation zones. Conversely, the newly constructed East Bay Expressway and Marine Drive are positioned at higher elevations.

The BYC organized medical camps across parts of Gwadar, with plans under way to establish relief centres all over Balochistan.

The newly elected MPA, Maulana Hidayat-ur Rehman also spoke about the severity of the crisis. “Despite substantial investments in city’s development and infrastructure, inadequate drains have led to rainwater entering residences instead of being effectively diverted,” he said.

Rehman said that prior to the onset of heavy rainfall, warnings were issued, prompting engagement with local authorities to formulate contingency measures. However, the urgency was not recognized and led to unnecessary hardship faced by the people.

According to Jan Muhammad Achakzai, the spokesperson for the provincial government, Gwadar experienced its first significant rainfall in 16 years. He highlighted the substantial challenge posed by the water accumulation in the city but said that all available resources were being mobilised to assist the residents.

The writer is a freelance contributor