A recent assessment by Islamic Relief reveals that catastrophic flash floods in the districts of Buner and Swat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, have destroyed the livelihoods of 60% of families.
The floods caused massive damage, with 73% of houses destroyed or partially damaged, 80% of agricultural land in Buner alone was destroyed and nearly half of the livestock perished, leaving communities struggling to survive.
60% of families in severely affected areas of Buner and 53% in Swat are now unable to sustain themselves, having lost their livelihoods due to the flash floods and cloudbursts.
Housing losses are equally grim, with 73% of homes either destroyed or partially damaged. Health concerns are mounting as well, with 40% of households reporting diarrhoea cases linked to contaminated water and collapsed sanitation systems.
Raza Narejo, acting country director of Islamic Relief Pakistan, said the situation is dire: “The poorest communities have been left with nothing overnight, and the long-term impact will be enormous.”
“Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change. Despite contributing less than 0.06% of global greenhouse emissions, we are seeing increasingly fierce and frequent floods, landslides and heatwaves shatter lives all over the country. In 2022 Pakistan suffered the worst floods ever and three years on it’s clear that not enough has been done to help people recover and adapt to climate change.”
The findings come as the province reels from catastrophic flash floods and heavy rains that claimed hundreds of lives across KP, with rescue operations still underway and authorities warning of prolonged recovery challenges.
The floods have overwhelmed the poorest communities, wiping out their jobs and income in a matter of days, posing a grave humanitarian crisis in the region as floodwaters recede but the recovery remains daunting.