From 15 June to October 2022, floods in Pakistan killed 1,739 people, and caused ₨ 3.2 trillion of damage and ₨ 3.3 trillion of economic losses. The immediate causes of the floods were heavier than usual monsoon rains and melting glaciers that followed a severe heat wave, both of which are linked to climate change.
Satellite imagery showing a side-by-side comparison of southern Pakistan on 27 August 2021 (one year before the floods) and 27 August 2022
The women of Johi city working with men placing flood protection ring bands during the floods of 2022
Image: Gilgit River Level near Canopy Nexus Hotel before flooding in 2022
Overview of rainfall accumulation and flooding
Climate change in Pakistan
Climate change in Pakistan is a major issue for the country. Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change. As with the changing climate in South Asia as a whole, the climate of Pakistan has changed over the past several decades, with significant impacts on the environment and people. In addition to increased heat, drought and extreme weather in parts of the country, the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas has impacted some of the important rivers of Pakistan. Between 1999 and 2018, Pakistan ranked 5th in the countries affected by extreme weather caused by climate change. Pakistan is prone to a range of natural disasters, including cyclones, floods, drought, intense rainfall, and earthquakes. According to scientific research, climate change played a substantial role in the devastating floods of 2022, which had a direct impact on over 30 million people in Pakistan, resulting in the loss of lives, damage to public infrastructure, and displacement from homes. Climate change poses a significant menace to Pakistan's economy and security.
Climate change may have been a contributing factor to the severity of the 2010 Pakistan floods.
Cyclone 2A making landfall near Karachi.
Supercell Larkana, March 2015
Glacial retreat in Nanga Parbat, Gilgit-Baltistan.