Preliminary Situation Assessment Report: 2022 Torrential Monsoon Rain Disaster
DISTRICT KAMBAR-SHAHDAD KOT
Shahdadkot is situated in the northern-west part of Sindh province and is located at the inter-provincial borderline of Balochistan which is about 30 km away from the main city. District Kambar-Shahdadkot is spread over 5,475 km² with a population strength of 1338035, as per census 2017, out of which 680,567 are males and 657,290 females. 941232 people are living in rural areas and 396803 people in urban areas.
in Shahdadkot taluka at village Chukhi, that is located in union council Dhori of taluka Qubo Saeed Khan, while traveling talukas Kambar and Warah reach Main Nara Valley Drain (MNVD) head works where enters boundaries of district Dadu.
Sukkur Barrage is the main source of irrigation in this district. The names of the main canals and distributaries/branches are Ghar Wah, Noor Wah, Shahdadkot branch, Tanwari, Patooja, Kot Shah beg, Qubo, Saifullah Magsi Branch, Edan, Beghari, Dhori, Rabbi, Koor Dato, Koor Shah. Though agriculture is mainly dependent upon canal irrigation in this district, tube wells and river irrigation are also used here.
The topography and climatic trends indicate that the has been affected by floods either riverine, pluvial, or flash floods and has been always at risk of floods from Kachho areas (flash floods) and rainy water runoff of Balochistan.
The situation is exacerbated when seven other rivulets1 fall into these rivers and cause overpressure. This water is then released to Sindh through carrier drain i.e. Hair Din Drain since 1989 without interprovincial control policy. It has been reported by the Federal Government of Pakistan that the affluent of Balochistan will be released through this carrier drain and will be drained out through the RBOD extension phase constructed from Chukhi to Kot Magsi. Then to Main Nara Valley Drain via Hamal Lake (natural depression) situated at Warah taluka district Kambar – Shahdadkot.
It is assumed as per changed climate patterns that a number of potentially hazardous conditions will continue to exist within the flood-prone areas of district Kambar-Shahdadkot for the next several years. If timely and efficient measures are not taken; the risk can be minimized with the participation of vulnerable communities. However, the following are the major and potential hazards present in district Kambar-Shahdadkot:
- Dust storms
- Flash Flood
- Hairdin Drain
- Heavy Rainfall
- Tribal Clashes
- Law and Order situation
- Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD)
1Kharghani, Buzz, Alkah, Mardan, Narani, Durb and Khenji rivulets
SOUTHWEST MONSOON-2022
The southwest monsoon started earlier this year the first week of June 2022. However, more ‘PreMonsoon Rain-Thundershowers’ were predicted from 15th June (Wednesday) evening/night. For Balochistan, it was expected Rain-wind/thundershowers (with isolated heavy falls) in Sibbi, Bolan, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Mastoong, Barkhan, Ziarat, Zhob, Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar, Chaman and Harnai from 17th June 2022 (evening/night) to 20th June 2022. During this period, the weather condition in Sindh province remained hot and dry in most parts of the province with chances of dust-thunderstorm/rain in Sukkur, Jacobabad, and Larkana from 17th -19th June 2022; according to a PMD press release dated 14th June 2022.
The formal onset was recorded July 1st, 222; up to now almost six intermittent spells have showered over entire Pakistan but particularly in southwestern and south-eastern parts of Sindh province, the rainfall was received in heavier quantity than the rest of the country comparatively. However, according to the weather outlook for the North Indian Ocean well-marked low-pressure area lies over northwestern “the Bay of Bengal, Rajasthan and the Arabian Sea”. PMD has forecasted about 140.8 mm rainfall all over the country. The precipitation received by the district Kambar-Shahdadkot is about 300 mm up to date (June 28-Aug 17, 2022) which exceeds the normal limit of seasonal rainfall particularly during the monsoon period is about 200 mm. Hence, South Asian Climate Outlook Forum forecasted that normal to above normal rainfall is most likely during the 2022 southwest monsoon season (June – September) over most parts of South Asia.
Under the influence of this weather system and the advancement of two successive low-pressure areas developed into the Bay of Bengal and moved to the Arabian Sea in the month of August. Heavy rains with thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds were experienced in lower and upper Sindh upto date. This is the first time that low-pressure areas showered rainfalls far away from the coastal belt; in the previous hydro-meteorological situation, the rain along with gusty winds was experienced by the coastal districts moreover upto neighboring districts within the range about 350-450 kilometers away from the place of development.
EFFECTS OF MONSOON ON DISTRICT
District Kambar-Shahdadkot has been badly affected and looks as if urban flooding. The normal average annual rainfall in the district is about 200 mm. The rainfalls received throughout the district in six spells were so severe that they transgressed the limits of the normal average. Formally, monsoon currents were recorded penetrating in upper and central parts of the country from July 10th, 2020, according to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Islamabad. This was said to be the first precipitation formal spell of monsoon season in Pakistan. Since then monsoonal currents started penetrating Sindh province at short intervals.
However, the spells of rainfall received in the province during the month of August-2022 were beyond the normal average of the month and even heavier than the normal average of the overall monsoon period.
The rainfall received in the country during July caused flash flooding and inundated nearby districts of Balochistan province. Rainwater standing in different parts of the province was released to the neighboring district of Sindh province; usually, it is drained through Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain to incomplete constructed drain called right bank outfall drain (RBOD); previously supposed to dump huge quantity of water into Manchhar Lake; later on, changes were brought about in the design of drain and it was diverted at union council Bhan Saeedabad of district Jamshoro. Currently, it flows over the main city of Sehwan Sharif on the east and runs parallel to the river Indus opposite Lal Bagh on the east side of Mehran Highways.
The precipitation fell in six spells and inundated the entire district, main Saifullah Magsi Canal located in the northern south of the district breached, and the water was released to the MNV drain that is located in district Kambar-Shahdadkot. However, the precipitation caused a flood-like situation in districts of Balochistan namely Sibbi, Naseerabad (Dera Murad Jamali), and Jaffarabad along with the release the stagnant water from neighboring areas was also dumped into this water that was released to district Jhal Magsi. The district, being situated along Khirthar mountainous ranges, inundated the entire district. Both of the waters were directly leased to Hairdin Drain located in-between Flood Protection Bund at Chukhi of union council Dhori and Khirthar range.
Monsoon rainfalls claimed more than 216 lives, inured 701, and 2257 livestock heads died off in the calamity in different areas of Sindh province.
The standing crops of paddy and vegetables on thousands of acres have been destroyed in the district while the remaining will not yield production properly owing to the stagnancy of rainwater into the agricultural lands. Heavy rain-falls received in short intervals in district Kambar-Shahdadkot inundated the majority of areas situated along the Sindh-Balochistan border. The heavy spells have been received in different districts of Balochistan. The rain-water and flash flooding through eight rivulets namely Suhri, Saiyaf, Pharatani, Chakar, Narri, Bolan, Molan, Mulla, and Karo are directly water pooled in different areas of the district, and outreach up to Taluka Johi district Dadu. The water is drained out through the ‘Hairdin Drain’ and conduit drain known as ‘MNV Drain’ which is located beside the district and has often caused havoc in various talukas of the district. MNVD connects two natural depressions such as Hamal Lake to the north and Manchhar Lake2 to the south. The situation is suspected to cause breaches in ‘Flood Protection Embankment at union council Hamal.
HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES
The 37500 (262500 individuals) families are directly affected and 3more than 7500 hectares of agricultural land have been completely damaged in six spells of rainfall, according to an assessment conducted with one governmental organization in the following union councils of union councils such as:
- Houses 60% fully damaged
- Houses 40% partially damaged
- Vegetables 100% fully damaged
- Paddy 90% fully damaged
- Livestock 40% Possibility of the outbreak of diseases in small animals
AFFECTED POPULATION
Approximately more than 37500 families have been affected directly out of which only 20% have come out to camps. However, the number of indirect /partially affected populations may increase to 50,000 families. District administration has declared two formal camps in Shahdadkot such as Government Degree College (Boys) and Government Mono Technical College.
2 Currently located in district Jamshoro
The affected population is mostly from agricultural communities. The pluvial flood and drains floodwater damaged the socioeconomic conditions of small landholders. This group of society is not only more marginalized comparatively but more vulnerable as well due to less coping capacity due to resource poorness. All the affected people were either holding small patches of their own lands or were working as agricultural laborers at medium-sized holders except a few who are running small shops in the city Shahdadkot or its surrounding.
AFFECTED AREAS
Taluka Shahdad kot
- Union Council Jamali
- Union Council Leghari
- Union Council Aitbar Chandio
- Union Council Chakiyani
- Union council Silra
- Ward 5
- Ward 11
Taluka Qubo Saeed Khan
- Union council Hazarwah
- Union council Bago Daro
- Union council Dhori
- Qubo Town-1
- Qubo Town-2
- Qubo Town-3
Taluka Miro Khan
- Union council Khabar
- Union council Allahabad
- Union Council Karira
Taluka Warah
- Union council Hamal
- Union council Mirpur
- Union council Junani
- Union council Khandu
- Union council Kallar
Taluka Kambar
- Union council Ghebi Dero
- Union council Nawab Shabir Ahmed
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
- Food and Nutrition Security of elements more at risk including children, elderly people, pregnant & lactating women, and PWDs
- Safe drinking water and rehabilitative improvements in sanitation to reduce the widespread of waterborne diseases
- Provision of jerry cans for safe water collection and storage
- Distribution of hygiene kits along with promotion sessions
- Conducting mass-cleaning campaign and solid waste disposal from the affected areas
- Fumigations in affected areas to reduce the widespread of malaria and provision of mosquito nets
- Seasonal vaccination and drenching of small livestock particularly sheep and goats
- Livelihood support to marginalized farming communities for the upcoming cropping season
Dad Mohammad Shaikh
CEO
Jagerta Welfare Association of Human Organization
Shahdad kot