Dawn Images

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are facing calamitous floods that have killed at least 670 people since the monsoon season began in June. Rivers have swollen to engulf whole villages while landslides block critical roads and damage vital infrastructure. Amid all this destruction, netizens recognise the real culprit — climate change.

According to a recent press conference from the chairperson of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), around 80 to 90 people are unaccounted for in flood-hit areas, while over 1,000 have sustained injuries. He said the current spell of rain will likely subside by Friday, but that two to three more spells are expected between now and September 10. The NDMA chief said the situation is expected to normalise by the end of September.

Floods have become a recurring crisis in Pakistan during the yearly monsoon season. Last year’s floods killed 368 people, while those in 2022 killed at least 1,700. A member of the NDMA’s Disaster Risk Reduction unit said on Friday that, “the ongoing cloudbursts and heavy monsoon spells this year suggest that a [situation similar to 2022] cannot be ruled out”.

As updates on the disaster continue to roll out, users on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to point out a major cause of this widespread destruction.

Many, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, pointed out the disproportionate impact of climate change on Pakistan.

Celebrities also expressed their grief at the loss of life and called attention to the climate crisis.

People spoke their minds about how they feel about this crisis and what they think needs to be done.

Netizens decried the loss of forest cover, especially in KP, where around 8,000 hectares — an area roughly the size of Islamabad — of forests are cleared on average every year.

A user called out the practice of encroaching on floodplains, saying there was “no guarantee of safety in flood-like situations” if buildings are constructed in the path of rivers.

Over on Reddit, users from across the world expressed their sympathies for flood victims and sent prayers for the people affected.

As floods continue to wreak havoc across Pakistan, we urge all those who can to help the people affected by this tragedy. We’ve collected a small list of reputable organisations working on the ground that you can donate to here. We also ask that you keep affected citizens and their families in your prayers and raise a voice to protect environmentally vulnerable communities whenever and wherever you can.