2011 Sindh floods
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Sindh floods began during the Pakistan
i monsoon
season in mid-August 2011, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in Sindh
, eastern Balochistan
, and southern Punjab. The floods have caused considerable damage; an estimated 434 civilians have been killed, with 5.3 million people and 1,524,773 homes affected. Sindh is a fertile region and often called the "breadbasket" of the country; the damage and toll of the floods on the local agrarian economy is said to be extensive. At least 1.7 million acres of arable land have been inundated as a result of the flooding. The flooding follows the previous year's historic 2010 Pakistan floods
, which devastated the entire country. Unprecedented torrential monsoon rains caused severe flooding in 16 districts of Sindh province.
and Gujarat in August and gained strength with the passage of time and caused heavy downpours. The four weeks of continuous rain have created an unprecedented flood situation in Sindh.
The District Badin
in Sindh province received record breaking rainfall of 615.3 millimetres (24.2 in) during the monsoon spell breaking earlier recorded 121 millimetres (4.8 in) in Badin in 1936. The area of Mithi also received record rainfall of 1290 millimetres (50.8 in) during the spell, where maximum rainfall was recorded 114 millimetres (4.5 in) in Mithi in 2004. The heavy cloudburst
during last 48–72 hours displaced many people besides destroying crops in the area.
The Met Office
had informed all district coordination officers, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, chief secretaries and chief ministers about the heavy monsoon rain-spell two days earlier to take precautionary measures.
Qamar uz Zaman Chaudhry, Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department said: "the rains in Sindh are the highest ever recorded monsoon rains during the four weeks period of August and September, 2011. Before the start of these rains in the second week of August, Sindh was under severe drought conditions and it had not received any rainfall for the last 12 months. The last severe rainfall flooding in Sindh occurred in July 2003," he said and added, "but this time the devastating rains of Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Diplo, Parker, Nawabshah, Badin, Chhor, Padidan, and Hyderabad etc during the four weeks period have created unprecedented flood situation in Sindh." According to Dr. Qamar, the total volume of water fallen over Sindh during the four weeks is estimated to be above 37 million acre feet, “which is unimaginable. The August monsoon rainfall, over province of Sindh (271 % above normal) is the heaviest recorded during the period 1961–2011.
. The first monsoon spell hit the southern parts of Sindh on 10 August. It produced record breaking widespread torrential rainfalls and resulted in floods in district Badin. The second spell hit the areas on 30 August and lasted until 2 September.
In the month of September four more consecutive spells of monsoon rainfall devastated the southern parts of the province. The first spell of September hit the already inundated parts of the province on 2 September. Thereafter, the second spell hit on 5 September, the third on 9 September, and the fourth on 12 September 2011. The four spells of monsoon produced even more devastating torrential rains in the already affected areas of Sindh.
* Indicates new record.
.
warned that aid should be provided to Pakistanis or they will die. 8,920,631 people have been affected because of floods. 433 people are said to have been killed.
has been created to deal with the flooding. The Chief Minister of Sindh
Qaim Ali Shah
has visited the affected areas, announcing a million rupee
s in relief for each of flood victims. Various politicians are also engaged in setting up relief camps for the victims. A helpline 0800-11-121 has been set up for the victims.
The Pakistani Army
and Navy
are actively engaged in flood relief and helping victims. According to aid organization Save the Children
, the flooding is more disastrous than that during the the 2004 tsunami.
district.- China has announced the $4.7 million aid for the flood victims.- Iran has also announced the $10 million aid for the flood victims.- The U.S. embassy in Islamabad
has said to help the affected. All type of aid is coming from USA.- Japanese Government has also provided aid to flood victims. It has announced 35 million yen for them.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season in mid-August 2011, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, eastern Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
, and southern Punjab. The floods have caused considerable damage; an estimated 434 civilians have been killed, with 5.3 million people and 1,524,773 homes affected. Sindh is a fertile region and often called the "breadbasket" of the country; the damage and toll of the floods on the local agrarian economy is said to be extensive. At least 1.7 million acres of arable land have been inundated as a result of the flooding. The flooding follows the previous year's historic 2010 Pakistan floods
2010 Pakistan floods
The 2010 Pakistan floods began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan and affected the Indus River basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater, approximately...
, which devastated the entire country. Unprecedented torrential monsoon rains caused severe flooding in 16 districts of Sindh province.
Causes
In the month of July Pakistan received below normal monsoon rains; however in August and September the country received above normal monsoon rains. A strong weather pattern entered the areas of Sindh from the Indian states of RajasthanRajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and Gujarat in August and gained strength with the passage of time and caused heavy downpours. The four weeks of continuous rain have created an unprecedented flood situation in Sindh.
The District Badin
Badin
Badin is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. The region is swampy, fertile for growing rice. Some oil fields are located near the town in the seasonally inundated Rann of Kutch region...
in Sindh province received record breaking rainfall of 615.3 millimetres (24.2 in) during the monsoon spell breaking earlier recorded 121 millimetres (4.8 in) in Badin in 1936. The area of Mithi also received record rainfall of 1290 millimetres (50.8 in) during the spell, where maximum rainfall was recorded 114 millimetres (4.5 in) in Mithi in 2004. The heavy cloudburst
Cloudburst
A cloudburst is an extreme amount of precipitation, sometimes with hail and thunder, which normally lasts no longer than a few minutes but is capable of creating flood conditions.-Etymology:There are similar names for such events in other languages...
during last 48–72 hours displaced many people besides destroying crops in the area.
The Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
had informed all district coordination officers, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, chief secretaries and chief ministers about the heavy monsoon rain-spell two days earlier to take precautionary measures.
Qamar uz Zaman Chaudhry, Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department said: "the rains in Sindh are the highest ever recorded monsoon rains during the four weeks period of August and September, 2011. Before the start of these rains in the second week of August, Sindh was under severe drought conditions and it had not received any rainfall for the last 12 months. The last severe rainfall flooding in Sindh occurred in July 2003," he said and added, "but this time the devastating rains of Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Diplo, Parker, Nawabshah, Badin, Chhor, Padidan, and Hyderabad etc during the four weeks period have created unprecedented flood situation in Sindh." According to Dr. Qamar, the total volume of water fallen over Sindh during the four weeks is estimated to be above 37 million acre feet, “which is unimaginable. The August monsoon rainfall, over province of Sindh (271 % above normal) is the heaviest recorded during the period 1961–2011.
Torrential rainfall recorded in August and September in Sindh
The following are the heavy rainfalls recorded in Sindh province in the months of August and September 2011 based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological DepartmentPakistan Meteorological Department
The Pakistan Meteorological Department, also known as Pak Met Office, is a Government of Pakistan organization which works under the Ministry of Defence...
. The first monsoon spell hit the southern parts of Sindh on 10 August. It produced record breaking widespread torrential rainfalls and resulted in floods in district Badin. The second spell hit the areas on 30 August and lasted until 2 September.
In the month of September four more consecutive spells of monsoon rainfall devastated the southern parts of the province. The first spell of September hit the already inundated parts of the province on 2 September. Thereafter, the second spell hit on 5 September, the third on 9 September, and the fourth on 12 September 2011. The four spells of monsoon produced even more devastating torrential rains in the already affected areas of Sindh.
| City | August Rainfall (mm) | Rainfall (in) | September Rainfall (mm) | Rainfall (in) | Total Rainfall (mm) | Total Rainfall (in) | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mithi Mithi Mithi is the capital of Tharparkar District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The town is located at 24°20'0N 69°1'0E with an altitude of 2 metres , lying 300 kilometres from Karachi and is located in a beautiful desert area.... |
530* | 21.0 | 760* | 30.0 | 1290* | 51.0 | ||
| Mirpur Khas Mirpur Khas Mirpur Khas is a city in the province of Sindh in Pakistan. It is the fifth largest city in the province with an estimated population of 488,590... |
263.1* | 10.3 | 603* | 23.7 | 866.1* | 34.1 | ||
| Nawabshah Nawabshah Nawabshah , or Shaheed Benazirabad, is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is headquarter of Shaheed Benazir Abad District... |
275.2* | 10.8 | 353.2* | 13.9 | 628.4* | 24.7 | ||
| Badin Badin Badin is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. The region is swampy, fertile for growing rice. Some oil fields are located near the town in the seasonally inundated Rann of Kutch region... |
331.2* | 13.0 | 284.1 | 11.1 | 615.3* | 24.2 | ||
| Chhor Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... |
276 | 10.9 | 268 | 10.6 | 544* | 21.4 | ||
| Dadu | 134.1 | 5.2 | 348.1 | 13.7 | 482.2* | 18.9 | ||
| Padidan Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... |
251.2 | 9.8 | 172 | 6.8 | 423.2* | 16.6 | ||
| Hyderabad Hyderabad, Sindh is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot... |
162.2 | 6.3 | 244.2 | 9.6 | 406.4 | 16.0 | ||
| Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... |
61.2 | 2.4 | 212.2 | 8.3 | 273.3 | 10.7 |
Heaviest spell of monsoon rains of 2011 in Sindh
Following are the heaviest rainfalls recorded in the monsoon spell in Sindh province in the months of August and September 2011 based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological DepartmentPakistan Meteorological Department
The Pakistan Meteorological Department, also known as Pak Met Office, is a Government of Pakistan organization which works under the Ministry of Defence...
.
| City | Rainfall (mm) | Rainfall (in) | Monsoon Spell | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mithi Mithi Mithi is the capital of Tharparkar District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The town is located at 24°20'0N 69°1'0E with an altitude of 2 metres , lying 300 kilometres from Karachi and is located in a beautiful desert area.... |
760 | 30.0 | 1 to 14 September* | |
| Mirpur Khas Mirpur Khas Mirpur Khas is a city in the province of Sindh in Pakistan. It is the fifth largest city in the province with an estimated population of 488,590... |
603 | 23.7 | 1 to 14 September | |
| Padidan Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... |
356 | 14.0 | 30 August to 4 September* | |
| Nawabshah Nawabshah Nawabshah , or Shaheed Benazirabad, is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is headquarter of Shaheed Benazir Abad District... |
353.2 | 13.9 | 1 to 14 September | |
| Dadu | 348.1 | 13.7 | 1 to 14 September | |
| Badin Badin Badin is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. The region is swampy, fertile for growing rice. Some oil fields are located near the town in the seasonally inundated Rann of Kutch region... |
302.1 | 11.8 | 10 to 14 August* | |
| Chhor Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... |
268 | 10.6 | 1 to 14 September | |
| Hyderabad Hyderabad, Sindh is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot... |
244.2 | 9.6 | 1 to 14 September | |
| Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... |
212.2 | 8.3 | 1 to 14 September |
- 1 to 14 September 2011, four consecutive spells of monsoon rains.
- 1 to 14 August 2011, first spell of monsoon rains in Sindh.
- 30 August to 4 September, second spell of monsoon rains in Sindh.
Flooding and impact
Millions of people have been affected because of heavy rains that started in August, coinciding with monsoon season. Rural villages have become particularly affected. The area of Sanghar is declared as the most dangerous region. In the aftermath of the monsoon rains, OxfamOxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
warned that aid should be provided to Pakistanis or they will die. 8,920,631 people have been affected because of floods. 433 people are said to have been killed.
Protests by flood victims
Some Pakistanis affected by the flood are protesting the government's response as slow and inadequate. Aid organizations have reported that some ruling party politicians and officials are distributing aid only to their party supporters and people from their villages.Domestic reaction
A special wing of the ministry of the Government of SindhGovernment of Sindh
Government of Sindh is based in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs, Pashtuns and a whole array of other ethnic and linguistic groups. Neighbouring regions are Balochistan to the west and north, Punjab in the north and...
has been created to deal with the flooding. The Chief Minister of Sindh
Chief Minister of Sindh
The Chief Minister of Sindh is elected by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh to serve as the head of the provincial government in Sindh, Pakistan. The current Chief Minister is Qaim Ali Shah, who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party...
Qaim Ali Shah
Qaim Ali Shah
Syed Qaim Ali Shah is the current Chief Minister of Sindh, Sindh President of the Pakistan Peoples Party and an elected Member of Provincial Assembly from PS-29...
has visited the affected areas, announcing a million rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s in relief for each of flood victims. Various politicians are also engaged in setting up relief camps for the victims. A helpline 0800-11-121 has been set up for the victims.
The Pakistani Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
and Navy
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
are actively engaged in flood relief and helping victims. According to aid organization Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
, the flooding is more disastrous than that during the the 2004 tsunami.
International reactions to the floods
- UN is engaged in assisting the flood victims by the help of it's agencies.10 million are announced by UNICEF.It has said to feed 500,000 victims of flood specially these part of the country-in BadinBadin
Badin is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. The region is swampy, fertile for growing rice. Some oil fields are located near the town in the seasonally inundated Rann of Kutch region...
district.- China has announced the $4.7 million aid for the flood victims.- Iran has also announced the $10 million aid for the flood victims.- The U.S. embassy in Islamabad
Embassy of the United States, Islamabad
The Embassy of the United States in Islamabad is the diplomatic mission of the United States in Pakistan. Ambassador Cameron Munter is currently the Chief of Mission, as of October 6, 2010....
has said to help the affected. All type of aid is coming from USA.- Japanese Government has also provided aid to flood victims. It has announced 35 million yen for them.
See also
- List of floods in Pakistan
- 2011 Kohistan floods2011 Kohistan floodsThe 2011 Kohistan floods are a series of flash floods that took place throughout the month of August in the Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan. The floods, caused by overnight heavy rains, have left at least 63 people dead and washed away dozens of houses, settlements,...
- 2010 Pakistan floods2010 Pakistan floodsThe 2010 Pakistan floods began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan and affected the Indus River basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater, approximately...
- List of extreme weather records in Pakistan