NATURAL DISASTERS IN PAKISTAN

Exam: Computer
Regular
Name: Imran Ur Rehman
F.Name: Abdul Rehman
Seat No: 15082018
Semester: II
Department: Physics
Instructor: Sir Sajid

Federal Urdu University Of Arts, Science And Technology Karachi (Dept: Physics)
2 NATURAL DISASTER IN PAKISTAN
CONTENTS
Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------03
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------04
a. Natural disaster -------------------------------------------------------------------------------04
b. Disaster of Pakistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------04
c. Earthquakes -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------05
d. Flood --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06
History of flood/earthquake In Pakistan--------------------------------------------------------07
a. History of Flood ------------------------------------------------------------------------------07
b. History of Earthquake ----------------------------------------------------------------------08
Major flood/earthquake-------------------------------------------------------------------------------09
Reasons of Flooding/Earthquake-----------------------------------------------------------------12
Reasons of Earthquake -------------------------------------------------------------------------12
Reasons of Flood ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------13
Damages----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14
Human and Economic Damages--------------------------------------------------------------15
Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Disaster Management in Pakistan------------------------------------------------------------------17
Vision, Mission and Objectives ------------------------------------------------------------------19
Vision ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Mission -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Objectives ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Scope -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Timeframes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Stakeholders ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
References-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21
Appendices------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22

SUMMARY
Pakistan is facing natural disasters since its inception .The different kinds of disasters like;
floods, earthquakes and droughts. The flood in 1972,was a most destructive and catastrophic
that made homeless more than five millions people. Then in 2010,the severity of this natural
calamity was more than in the past. One fourth part of Pakistan was effected by this flood and
more than ten million people remained homeless. The south part of the country, which is
agriculture based and has poor people, faced its worst history.
In 2005,earthquake in northern areas hit the vast population, almost a million people died and
five million lost their homes, properties and business. These disasters effects every tier of life as
economic , social, financial and agricultural. Pakistan's economy that was already in worst
conditions, has become poorer than the past. The growth of Pakistan's economy in 2006-2007
was almost 6% annually, but now it is only on 3%. The flood of 2010 has severally smashed the
agriculture sector which is back bone of Pakistan. More than 60% population of the country
depends upon agriculture sector. The exports like textile goods, wheat and fruits etc of the
country is also directly attached with this sector. So that industrial sector too has been gone one
step back instead of ahead. There is less aid from international community because of world's
financial crisis, so it makes harder for Pakistan to meet its future developmental targets. Now
Pakistan has to cut its developmental budget and has to reconstruct the destructive areas.
Therefore, the need of the hour is that government should take steps to control these calamities.
It should build dams and embankments to save populated areas and early warning system and
shifting of people to a save place. These would be helpful,

INTRODUCTION:
Natural disaster:
A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There
are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it.
For Example:
Some of them are
1. Earthquakes
2. Cyclones
3. Floods
4. Tsunami
5. Landslides
6. Avalanches
7. Drought
Disaster of Pakistan:
Pakistan is geographically located in an area that is highly vulnerable to natural hazards,
especially the northern part of the country where the Himalayas and Hindu Kush are located.
The region is exposed to natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, melting
glaciers and soil erosion. Pakistan's exposure to natural hazards and disasters ranges from
moderate to severe. It has faced natural and man-made disasters in its history. The country's
natural hazards include hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, glacial eruption, storms, droughts,
landslides, river erosion, tsunamis, and epidemics.
Earthquakes:
Earthquakes constitute one of the worst natural hazards which often turn into disaster causing
widespread destruction and loss to human life. The effects of earthquake vary upon the
magnitude and intensity. Earthquakes occur every now and then all round the world, except in
some places where earthquakes occur rarely. The devastation of cities and towns is one of the
effects of earthquake.
What is Earthquake?
An Earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the earth’s crust that creates
seismic waves. The seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of
earthquakes experienced over a period of time these waves spread out in all directions from the
point where the stone strikes the water. Similarly, any sudden disturbances in the earth’s crust
may produce vibration in the crust which travels in all direction from point of disturbances.

For example:
If you throw stone in a pond of still
water, series of waves are produced
on the surface of water, these waves
spread
out in all directions from the point
where the stone strikes the water.
Similarly, any sudden disturbances
in the earth’s crust may produce
vibration in the crust which travels in
all direction from point of
disturbances.
Earthquake in Pakistan:
Pakistan is situated in a highly
seismically active region of the world. Major earthquakes over the past100 years include the
1945 Makran earthquake in 1905 with magnitude of 7.6 has caused heavy damage to life and
properties. The October 2005 Kashmir earthquake enhanced consciousness about the
increasing vulnerability of Pakistan's growing population in the area. The areas in Pakistan
which are likely to be susceptible to the future earth-quakes are the northern areas, Chitral
district in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and Kashmir including Muzaffarabad, and
Quetta. The region of Kashmir, northern Areas and parts of the NWFP are particularly
vulnerable to landslide hazards. Apart from the young geology and fragile soil type of mountain
ranges, accelerated deforestation is a major cause behind being increased incidences of
landslides (NDMA 2007). In all natural hazards and disasters droughts have tremendous
potential impact across broad areas compared to other disasters like flood, tropical cyclones
etc. Due to the unique geo climatic conditions in some parts of the country drought have been a
major threat and will have substantial consequences on sustain-able development and food
security, agriculture, livestock, water resources, environment and hydro-electricity. The main
arid areas of the country include D. G. Khan, D. I. Khan, Kohistan and western Baluchistan.
Some of the areas are drastically vulnerable to droughts. For example in Baluchistan
due to the decrease of both the
vegetation cover and precipitation
has affected about 92% area of
the province. Pakistan's vulnerability
to tsunamis is low,

Flood:
Flood is a term used to denote an enormous amount of water. When there is an outflow of water
in a place, it is said to be flooded. The situation caused when the water becomes uncontrollable
is said to be flooded. The flood may take different forms such as in the form of heavy rainfall
when there is a breaking of the dam. Furthermore, the melting of snow also leads to flooding.
Floods lead to an overfull and huge spread
of water but are not considered safe for
the purpose of drinking. Thus floods bring
with them a number of diseases such as typhoid,
cholera and many others. Here, we shall discuss
the various causes of floods.
A flood can be caused both due to natural causes
as well as it can be a human made flood.
Flood causes a huge loss of life and property.
Waterborne diseases spread as a result of Floods
causing health problems. Moreover, the destruction of roadways and infrastructure facilities, the
disturbance of ecosystems, improper sewage systems all demand serious efforts of adopting
sustainable measures.
Flood of Pakistan:
Flooding from river overflows is the most common natural disaster in Pakistan. They are costly
natural hazards due to damage to property and croplands. Floods are usually short-lived events
that can happen with little or no warning. The Indus basin—the biggest in the country—covers
70% area of the country and generally major floods occurs in the basin in the late summer when
south Asian region is subjected to heavy monsoon rainfall. Major flooding in Pakistan is
associated with the monsoon low depression that develops in the bay of Bengal and move
across India west/north westerly direction to enter Pakistan.

History of Flood/Earthquake in Pakistan:
Earthquake:
Date Locations Meg. Deaths Injuries
2019-09-24 New Mirpur, Azad Kashmir 5.6 Mw 40 852
2018-01-30 Badakhshan 6.1 Mw 1 9-11
2015-12-25 Gilgit-Baltistan and kpk 6.3 Mw 4 100
2015-10-26 Badakhshan 7.5 Mw 399 2,536
2015-07-24 Islamabad 5.1 Mw 3 -
2014-05-08 Sindh 4.5 Mw 2 50
2013-09-28 Awaran , Balochistan 6.8 Mw 22 -
2013-09-24 Awaran , Balochistan 7.7 Mw 825 700
2013-04-16 Balochistan 7.7 Mw 34 105
2011-01-18 Dalbandin, Balochistan 7.2 Mw 3 some
2008-10-29 Ziarat District, Balochistan 6.4 Mw 215 200
2005-10-08 Azad Kashmir, Balakot 7.6 Mw 87,351 75,266
1997-02-27 Balochistan 7.0 Mw 57 -
1994-12-28 Hunza 6.2 Mw 5,300 17,000
1992-05-20 Kohat Division, North West 6.0 Mw 36 100
1983-12-31 Gilgit-Baltistan 7.2 Mw 12–26 60–483
1981-12-09 Gilgit-Baltistan 5.9 Mw 220 -
1974-12-28 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 6.2 Mw 5,300 17,000
1972-09-03 Peshawar 6.2 Mw 100 -

Floods:
The following is a list of floods in Pakistan:
1950 floods: Monsoon rain in 1950 killed an estimated 2,900 people across the country.
Punjab Province, including the city of Lahore, was among the worst hit when the River Ravi
flooded. Flooding also affected parts of the southern province of Sindh. Over 100,000 homes
were destroyed, leaving around 900,000 people homeless.
1955 Flood: From 4 to 6 October 1955, 200 mm of rain fell in the town of Dalhousie, 200 mm in
the city of Sialkot, and 500 mm in the catchments of the Ujh and Basantar rivers, covering
almost the entire catchment area of the Ravi River. The 1955 flood was the highest on the
record for the Ravi River, Balloki Headworks. It breached the flood embankments of the
Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian-Dipalpur Link Canal, upstream from Ravi Siphon, and at Shahdara
Bridge, a suburb of Lahore.
1973 Flood: Intense rainfall of 324 mm generated flood peaks at Khanki Headworks and at
Panjnad Barrage, both on the Chenab River, inundating 3.6 million hectares of land in several
districts with waters up to a height of about 6 m. Wheat and cotton crops were devastated.
Punjab lost 70,000 cattle and 255,000 houses, and 474 people perished. The total damage was
estimated at $2.39 billion.
1976 Flood: Monsoon rainfall of 579 mm during July and September on the Indus catchments
resulted in flooding at the Jinnah Barrage and Guddu Barrage, both on the Indus River. The
flood killed 425 people and affected another 1.7 million people, inundated 8 million ha of land,
and affected 18,390 villages, damaging 11,000 houses. Total economic losses were estimated
at $1.62 billion. Malevolent Floods of Pakistan 2010-2012 7
1988 Flood: An average of 400 mm of rainfall occurred on the catchments of the Ravi, Sutlej,
and Chenab rivers on the 23-26 September. The flood deluged 1 million ha of agricultural land
and irrigated crops, killing 500 people and causing economic damage totalling about $400
million.
1992 Flood: The 1992 monsoon caused widespread rain on the catchments of the Indus,
Jhelum, and Chenab rivers. The continuous 5-day rainfall during 7-11 September was the
highest in the history in the same period. The rainfall led to flooding in the Chenab, Jhelum and
Indus River. The breaching of flood protection levees (FPLs) exposed large areas to the
ravages of the flood, which inundated 13,000 villages, damaged 960,000 houses, affected 4.8
million people, and killed more than 1,000 (World Bank 1996).
The Government of Pakistan estimated the damage at
about $1.4 billion, including $0.5 billion worth of damage to public infrastructure. The hardest hit
were the agriculture and communication sectors, for which the cost of flood damage repair was
estimated at a total of $396 million.
1994 Flood: Widespread rains from July to September caused flooding in the Indus and Sutlej
rivers. The Government’s damage assessment reported that, as of 21st September, the floods
had killed 386 people, damaged 557,000 houses, and resulted in the loss of 14,000 cattle and
of about 700,000 ha of crops.
In 1995 heavy monsoon rains occurred in mid July. Due to this River Indus and other rivers and
canals started to flood. The rains stopped in time. Otherwise they would have caused more
damage.

Floods in 2005 and 2006: The Kabul and Chenab rivers experienced high flooding in 2005 and
2006. These two floods resulted in the death of 591 people and affected about 1 million ha of
land in 117 districts.
The floods in 2010 were the second worst in terms of devastation. The flood 1,985 lives and
inundated 17,553 villages over 160,000-square kilometers, affecting 21 million people.
During 2011 and 2012 floods claimed 516 and 571 lives respectively. Cumulatively in 2010,
2011 and 2012, Pakistan lost 3,072 lives and $16 billion of physical capital.
In 2013, although no major floods were reported, yet the monsoon rains killed around 69
people, including 22 in Sindh, 18 in Balochistan, 15 in Punjab and 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In September 2014 Due to massive rain in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in
Punjab Constituted flood situation in River Chanab and River Jhelum.
In August 2020, Karachi received the heaviest rain in a single day ever in its history when 231
mm rain lashed out in just 12 hours. During August 2020, only Karachi received 484 mm (19
inches) rain. It is the highest rainfall record over the last 90 years. Rainwater and overflowed
water from nullahs and drains flooded most of the main roads and streets in residential
locations.
Major Flood /Earthquake:
1974 Hunza Earthquake:
This was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake and hit Hunza
Hazara and Swat provinces in northern Pakistan on
December 28, 1974. The earthquake had a shallow
depth of focus and was followed by several aftershocks.
An official estimate of the death toll was 5,300 with a
pproximately 17,000 wounded. A total of 97,000
people were reported affected by the earthquake.
Most of the destruction has centered around the village
of Bataan, about 100 miles north of the capital, Islamabad.
The village was almost completely destroyed. Landslides
and rock falls contributed to the damage
2005 Kashmir Earthquake:
A 7.6-Richter scale quake struck the Kashmir region on the India-Pakistan border and parts of
northwestern Pakistan on 8 October 2005. According to official figures, at least 73,000 people
were killed and more than 3.3 million made homeless. Work even continues today to rebuild the
damaged infrastructure.

This earthquake has been blamed for the economic down fall of Pakistan as in 2005 Pakistan’s
economy was rising. The country was being considered to be placed on the rising economies of
Asian, the credit goes to the Musharraf-led government but the earthquake hit the back bone of
Pakistan and eventually and sadly the next year, Pakistan was placed on the failed states of the
world at number 9.
2011 Pakistan Earthquake:
An earthquake of magnitude of 7.2 rocked south-
western Pakistan. The United States Geological
Survey reported the earthquake took place on
January 19 at 01:23 am PST.
The depth of the earthquake was reported
to be 84 kilometers. US seismologist, Don Blakeman,
said the earthquake depth was revised to be deeper
than originally thought – potentially limiting the effects.
Overall the earthquake was felt in India, Iran, Bahrain,
Afghanistan, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirites.
3 women died due to this earthquake in Pakistan due to
heart attack.
The Floods in 2010:
July and August 2010 that led to a humanitarian
disaster considered to be one of the worst in
Pakistan’s history. The floods, which affected
approximately 20 million people, destroyed
homes, crops, and infrastructure and left
millions vulnerable to malnutrition and
waterborne disease. Estimates of the total
number of people killed ranged from
1,200 to 2,200, while approximately
1.6 million houses were damaged or
destroyed, leaving an estimated
14 million people
without homes.
Record monsoon rains began to fall in
Pakistan’s mountainous northwest region about
July 22, causing flash floods in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan
provinces. The unprecedented volume of
rainwater overwhelmed flood defenses,
sweeping away roads and bridges and inundating
Large areas of land. By August 1 at least 1,000 people had been killed by flooding and at least
1,000,000 had been forced from their homes. As the floodwaters surged downriver into

Balochistan and Sindh provinces in August, rain continued to fall in the northwest. With one-fifth
of Pakistan affected by mid-August, rescuers and humanitarian aid workers struggled to reach
victims stranded by rising water and by extensive damage to roads and bridges.
Rescue efforts were led by the Pakistani armed forces while humanitarian aid was provided by
the Pakistani government, by foreign governments including the United States, Saudi Arabia,
and the United Kingdom, and by nongovernmental organizations as well as local charities, some
with ties to militant Islamic groups. The Pakistani government was criticized within Pakistan for
its response to the floods: many saw it as sluggish and disorganized, and the preferential
treatment given to some areas was cited as evidence of governmental corruption. In early
August Pres. Asif Ali Zardari furthered the perception that Pakistan’s leaders were indifferent to
flood victims’ suffering when, rather than staying in the country to monitor the rescue and relief
efforts, he went on a scheduled 10-day trip to Europe. By October 2010 the water levels of the
Indus had largely returned to normal. Large floodwater lakes lingered in some low-lying areas
until the early months of 2011.
The damage caused by the floods promised to have a long-lasting impact in Pakistan. Months
after the floods had subsided, hundreds of thousands of people remained in temporary camps
with inadequate sanitation and food supply. Many of the people who were most severely
affected by the floods were small farmers; an estimated 5.4 million acres (2.2 million hectares)
of crops were destroyed, along with an estimated 1.2 million head of livestock. The floods also
devastated Pakistan’s public services and physical infrastructure, damaging or destroying more
than 10,000 schools and 500 clinics and hospitals while sweeping away more than 5,000 miles
(8,000 km) of railways and roads. The Pakistani government estimated that economic losses
from the floods totaled $43 billion. A year after the floods, international aid from countries,
humanitarian organizations, and private individuals totaled $1.3 billion.
Reasons of flooding/Earthquake:

Reasons of Flooding/Earthquake:
Reasons of Earthquake:
The Earth’s crust consists of seven large lithospheric plates and numerous smaller plates.
These plates move towards each other (a convergent boundary), apart (a divergent boundary)
or past each other (a transform boundary).
Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of stress along faults in the earth's crust. The
continuous motion of tectonic plates causes a steady build-up of pressure in the rock strata on
both sides of a fault until the stress is sufficiently great that it is released in a sudden, jerky
movement. The resulting waves of seismic energy propagate through the ground and over its
surface, causing the shaking we perceive as earthquakes.
Tectonic Earthquakes
Earthquakes caused by plate tectonics are called tectonic quakes. They account for most
earthquakes worldwide and usually occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates.
Induced Earthquakes
Induced quakes are caused by human activity, like tunnel construction, filling reservoirs and
implementing geothermal or frocking projects.
Volcanic Earthquakes
Volcanic quakes are associated with active volcanism. They are generally not as powerful as
tectonic quakes and often occur relatively near the surface. Consequently, they are usually only
felt in the vicinity of the hypocenter.
Collapse Earthquakes
Collapse quakes can be triggered by such phenomena as cave-ins, mostly in karst areas or
close to mining facilities, as a result of subsidence.

Reason of Flood:
Many conditions result in flooding. Hurricanes, clogged drainages, and rainfall are some of the
conditions that have led to flooding in various regions across the globe. Here are the leading
causes of flooding.
Rain
Rain is the leading contributor to most of the flooding cases witnessed across the world. Too
much rain causes water to flow overland contributing to flooding. In particular, it is due to high
rainfall intensity over a prolonged period. Depending on the rainfall distribution, the amount of
rain, and soil moisture content, short rainfall period can also result in flooding. Light rains for
longer periods – several days or weeks, can also result in floods. The rain water erosive force
can weaken the foundations of buildings, causing tumbles and cracks.
River Overflows
Rivers or streams can overflow their banks. This happens when the river or stream holds more
water upstream than usual, and it flows downstream to the neighboring low-lying areas, typically
referred to as the floodplains. As a consequence, this creates a sudden discharge of water into
the adjacent lands leading to flooding.
Dams in rivers may also at times overwhelm rivers when the carriage capacity is exceeded,
causing the water to burst and get into the floodplains. Flood caused by river overflow has the
potential of sweeping everything in its path downstream.
Lakes and Coastal Flooding
Lake and Coastal flooding occurs when large storms or tsunamis causes the water body to
surge inland. These overflows have destructive power since they can destroy ill-equipped
structures to withstand water’s strength such as bridges, houses, and cars.
In the coastal areas, strong and massive winds and hurricanes drive
water onto the dry coastal lands and give rise to flooding. The situation is even worsened when
the winds blowing from the ocean carry rains in them. Sea waters from the tsunami or hurricane
can cause widespread damage.
Dam Breakage
Dams are man-made structures used to hold water from flowing down from a raised ground.
The potential energy stored in the dam water is used to generate electricity. At times, the walls
can become weak and break because of overwhelming carriage capacity. Due to this reason,
breakage of the dam can cause extensive flooding in the adjacent areas.
Flooding occurs when the embankments built along the sides of the river to stop high water from
flowing onto the land breaks. Sometimes, the excess water from the dam is deliberately
released from the dam to prevent it from breaking thereby causing floods.

Melting of the Glaciers and Mountain Tops
In the cold regions, ice and snows build up during the winters. When the temperature rises in
summer, the accumulated snows and ice are subjected to melting resulting in vast movements
of water into lands that are normally dry. Regions with mountains that have ice on top of them
also experience the same outcome when the atmospheric temperature rises. This type of
flooding is usually termed as snowmelt flood.
Clogged Drainages
Flooding also takes place when snowmelt or rainfall runoff cannot be channeled appropriately
into the drainage systems forcing the water to flow overland. Clogged or lack of proper drainage
system is usually the cause of this type of flooding.
The areas remain flooded until the storm water systems or waterways are rectified. Instances
where the systems or water ways are not rectified, the areas remain flooded until the excess
water evaporates or is transpired into the atmosphere by plants
DAMAGES:
Disasters damage the human and physical capital, leading to short-term reduction of GDP in
Pakistan, for example, prolonged drought brought 50 percent reduction in GDP growth during
1998-2001 and floods in 2010 cost Pakistan 10$ billion (5.7percen of GDP). While this is a
negative impact in the shor term, the impact of disasters over the medium and long term is
difficult to establish due absence of reliable data EM-DAT disaster data (2000-2013) and World
Bank population statistics for the same period, reveal that on an average, the direct economic
losses due disasters are 1.16 percent of national GDP, tough the data is skewed due to heavy
losses in 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods. Direct losses are not reported for less intense
disasters or disasters with slow onset due to poor data collection infrastructure. Among indirect
losses, deaths occurred due to natural disasters affect the GDP as they reduce the number of
labor force involved in production process. Damage to houses and assets force households to
divert their resources from productive sectors to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their
houses. Due to high level of poverty, after disasters, many children are forced to drop out the
school in order to compensate for the income reduction by their participation in labor market.
Among business units SMEs are most vulnerable and take longer to recover from disasters than

larger businesses; a good majority of SMEs do not survive high impact disasters. Economic
growth projections show that although real GDP is likely to be impacted by a major disaster
event, investments in disaster risk reduction could significantly control this trend.
Economic and Human Damages of Recent Disaster on Pakistan:

Conclusion:
There has been a dramatic increase in disasters and the damages caused by them in the recent
past. Over the past decade, the number of natural and manmade disasters has climbed
inexorably. From 1994 to 1998, reported disasters average was 428 per year but from 1999 to
2003, this figure went up to an average of 707 disaster events per year showing an increase of
about 60 per cent over the previous years. The biggest 15 rise was in countries of low human
development, which suffered an increase of 142 per cent. Pakistan continues to suffer from a
plethora of natural and human induced hazards that threaten to affect the lives and livelihood of
its citizens. The human impact of natural disasters in Pakistan can be judged by the fact that
6,037 people were killed and 8,989,631 affected in the period from 1993 to 2002. More than
80,000 people died and 3.5 million lost homes in the earthquake in 8th October 2005
earthquake. In addition to earthquakes, other natural hazards that occurred in Pakistan include
Tsunami, cyclones, floods, drought, viral diseases, etc.
Disaster management in Pakistan
basically revolves around flood disasters with a primary focus on rescue and relief. After each
disaster episode the government incurs considerable expenditure directed at rescue, relief and
rehabilitation. Within disaster management bodies in Pakistan, there is a dearth of knowledge
and information about hazard identification, risk assessment and management, and linkages
between livelihoods and disaster preparedness. Disaster management policy responses are not
generally influenced by methods and tools for cost-effective and sustainable interventions.
There are no long-term, inclusive and coherent institutional arrangements to address disaster
issues with a long-term vision. Disasters are viewed in isolation from the processes of
mainstream development and poverty alleviation planning.
For example, disaster management,
development planning and environmental management institutions operate in isolation and
integrated planning between these sectors is almost lacking. Absence of a central authority for
integrated disaster management and lack of coordination within and between disaster related
organizations is responsible for effective and efficient disaster management in the country.
State-level disaster preparedness and mitigation measures are heavily tilted towards structural
aspects and undermine non-structural elements such as the knowledge and capacities of local
people, and the related livelihood protection issues. Given the frequent incidence of floods
during monsoon season the government has taken adequate measures for flood control and
management down to district level.
The Pakistan Army plays a significant role in flood and
earthquake management by providing search and rescue services and emergency relief in
affected areas. Flood and Earthquake Commission commences flood and earthquake fighting
plans every year in April and monitors the discharge of water at strategically important barrages
and dams, and maintains a regular interaction with all provincial governments in pre, during and
post flood and earthquake situations. The district, provincial and federal governments prepare
flood and earthquake fighting plans annually and ensure timely dissemination of early warning
through indigenous and modern modes of communication

Disaster Management In Pakistan:
The structure of disaster and emergency management in Pakistan, centered on the National
Disaster Management Commission (NMDC), was established immediately after the disastrous
Kashmir Earthquake in 2005 and has been operational since 2007. As Fig. 5.1 below illustrates,
the institutions begin at the national level and extend to the Union Council levels for the
implementation of disaster policies. The commission is the highest policy and decision making-
body for disaster risk management. It also oversees the integration of disaster risk management
issues into sectorial development plans and manages the implementation of this policy through
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), chaired by the Prime Minister. Since disaster
risk is a multi-sectorial activity that requires timely response, the NDMA was established to
serve as focal point and coordinating body to facilitate the implementation of disaster related
mitigation strategies. It directly communicates with all stakeholders, including ministries,
departments and other agencies which are likely to participate in disaster risk management. The
provincial government has the authority to form the Provincial Disaster Management Authority
(PDMA) which is chaired by the Chief Minister. The authority lays down the provincial/regional
disaster risk management policy and develops the provincial disaster risk management plans in
accordance with guidelines laid down by the national commission. It also reviews the
implementation of the provincial plans and oversees the provision of funds for risk reduction and
preparedness measures. Further, it coordinates and provides technical assistance to local
authorities for carrying out their function. A District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) can
be established by Provincial governments in the hazard prone areas on a priority basis. This
authority is headed by Nazim (district chief) of the district. The authority formulates disaster risk
management plans and coordinates their implementation. It also prepares guidelines for local
stakeholders on disaster risk reduction. In the event of a disaster, it organizes emergency
response through district emergency operation center and maintains linkages with PDMA and
relevant departments.
Authorities at the town and Tehsil levels serve as the frontline
organizations of disaster risk reduction and response, interfacing directly with communities.
Tehsil and town Nazims lead the risk and response operations with the help of Tehsils and town
officers in consultation with DDMA. Other key players include extension workers, police officers,
fire services, community organizations, traditional leaders and NGOs.
The Union Council is the lowest tier in the
governance system, but has important roles
in allocating resources for local
development works. Union councils are
expected to advocate for the communities
with the district councils and disaster
management authorities.
The Fig in the article describes the institutional
mechanism of Pakistan. The relationship among
the different levels is important starting from
national to union council level.

A number of situations in the aftermath of October 08 earthquakes gave NDMA some favorable
opportunities to promote disaster management in Pakistan. These include:
(i) heightened awareness among highest level decision-makers, officials, media and civil society
about disaster risks and vulnerabilities,
(ii) enhanced commitment of donors and the UN for establishing institutional arrangements and
developing capacity on disaster risk management, i
ii) approval of the National Disaster Management Ordinance 2006, establishment of NDMC, and
the NDMA, and
iv) commitment of the NDMA leadership. Existing disaster management system also has a
number of strengths.

For example,
Pakistan has relatively well developed systems for flood mitigation, preparedness and response.
Provincial revenue departments have policies, systems and procedures in place for disaster
relief, particularly for floods and droughts. Pakistan armed forces are generally well experienced
in managing various kinds of disasters. A number of departments including agriculture and
irrigation departments have been implementing drought mitigation strategies. Some NGOs have
extensive experience in community level disaster risk reduction and preparedness. NDMA is
trying to build upon the above mentioned strengths and opportunities, while developing systems
for disaster risk management at the local levels. However at the local levels (community and
village), disaster's impacts are handled through social networking with the support of local
NGOs. Faith-based NGOs have also worked in the response along with community groups at
the village levels.
This study is basically exploratory in nature based on qualitative data from primary and
secondary sources. The secondary sources include: Pakistan Meteorological Department,
Survey of Pakistan, Seismic Center, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan
Engineering Council, Development Authority, websites of Provincial Disaster Management
Authority and National Disaster Management Authority. The other sources include journal
articles, books, training manuals and other government reports, documents from all levels
(national to district).
The sources for the data are the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, district government,
Union council offices, Civil defense department, Rural support Program, Muslim Aid, Pakistan
Red Crescent Societies. In addition the primary data was collected through face to face
interviews with concerned institutions.
Vision, Mission And Objectives
The NDMA realized the importance of formulating the National Disaster Management Plan. It is
a long-term, holistic policy document for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) at the national level.
It contains all the aspects of disaster management policy, strategies and actions, including
(i) national hazard and vulnerability assessment,
(ii) human resource development,
(iii) community-based disaster risk management,
(iv) multi-hazard early warning system,
(v) disaster management operation by type of disaster, such as earthquake, tsunami, flood,
drought, cyclone, etc.,
(vi) actions/programs for disaster management. The National Disaster Management Plan will
determine the overall strategies for disaster management in Pakistan.
Visions
To achieve sustainable social, economic and environmental development in Pakistan through
reducing disaster risks and vulnerabilities for all groups of people in the country; and to enhance
the country‘s ability to manage natural disasters using a comprehensive national approach.
Mission
To manage the complete spectrum of disasters by development of disaster risk reduction
policies, strategies, measures and actions of governments, especially at the national level, the

community and individuals through enhancing institutional capacities, and human and material
resources for mitigation, prevention and preparedness, response and recovery.
Objectives
Damage and losses from disasters have physical, economic, and social impacts. Mitigating and
alleviating the damage and losses are required to collectively increase resiliencies in physical,
economic and social areas, using technologies, knowledge, information, and human resources.
Preparations need to cover all stages including pre- disaster, emergency response, and post-
disaster periods. The National Disaster Management Plan was developed as a part of an
institutionalization process. It aims: i) to develop resilience in society against disasters of the
type that Pakistan has experienced such as the 2005 Earthquake and Pakistan Flood 2010, ii)
to mitigate damage from recurring disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods/sediment
disasters, and other natural disasters, iii) to take care of vulnerable peoples such as women,
marginalized people, elderly people, disabled people, etc., and iv) to clarify the roles of the
national and local governments, public agencies, corporations and residents for each type of
disaster.
Scope:
The concepts applied to major disasters in the National Disaster Management Plan are for
natural hazards or any other occasion for which NDMC determines that assistance of the
National Government is needed to supplement provincial and district level efforts and
capabilities.
Timeframes:
The time frame of the Plan is considered to be ten years from 2012 to 2022. Monitoring of the
Plan will be conducted by the NDMA with the participation of relevant stakeholders
Stakeholders
Following are the stakeholders in Disaster Management.
National Disaster Management Commission & Authority (NDMC&A)
The National Commission shall consist of:
I. The Prime Minister of Pakistan who shall be the Chairperson, ex officio
II. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
III. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly
IV. Minister for Defense
V. Minister for Health
VI. Minister for Foreign Affairs
VII. Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education14
VIII. Minister for Communications
IX. Minister for Finance X. Minister for the Interior
XI. Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (for FATA)
XII. Chief Ministers of all the provinces
XIII. Prime Minister, AJ&K
XIV. Chief Executive, Gilgit-Baltistan

XV. Chairman, JCSC or his nominee
XVI. Representatives of civil society or any other person appointed by the Prime Minister.
References:
Slide share: https://www.slideshare.net/
Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org/
https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-top-10-natural-disasters-1935
http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compulsory-subjects/essay/72358-essay-disaster-
management-pakistan.html
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/economics/natural-disasters-on-the-economy-of-pakistan-
economics-essay.php
https://pakistanweatherportal.com/2011/07/30/history-of-earthquakes-in-pakistan-in-detail/
https://www.dawn.com/news/1215521
https://spopk.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/malevolentfloodrepo.pdf
http://www.disasterengineering.com/tr/download/article-file/408170
https://www.ndrmf.pk/drr/
https://www.eartheclipse.com/natural-disaster/what-is-flood-and-what-causes-flooding.html

Appendices:
The Disaster Occurrence in Pakistan (1947-2019)

NATURAL DISASTERS IN PAKISTAN

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