Over two years since the super floods of 2022, many communities in Balochistan continue to grapple with its aftermath. They have been frustrated by the sluggish recovery efforts due to the provincial government's slow implementation of rehabilitation efforts and delayed disbursement of funds by the federal government and international funding agencies.
But as the world gathers for crucial discussion on tackling climate change impacts across the globe at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the 2022 super floods and its aftermath could be pertinent in securing sufficient funding and developing an expedited and effective mechanism for the disbursement of disaster funds.
In Dera Murad Jamali, a city in the Southwest province, a woman still lives in a tent with her three children. The tent was supposed to have been a temporary shelter, but it has been the only home she has had access to for the past two years. But as winter starts to creep into the plains of Balochistan, she has been struggling to keep her children warm.
"We lost everything in the floods. And while we were promised help, nothing substantial has been provided," she lamented.
This story was produced as part of the 2024 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews' Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security. It was first published in The Friday Times on November 17, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: Debris from an area in Balochistan affected by severe flooding / Credit: The Friday Times.
Asim Ahmed Khan
