It appears that the extreme weather has not cleared up but is only getting worse as China and Pakistan face either end of the extremes. While one country is suffering due to the lack of water the other country is facing troubles with having too much of it.
Source: Times of Malta
With the weather reaching extremes all over the world, it appears that we are gradually experiencing the negative effects of climate change. Throughout the year, countries have reported both extreme heat and extreme rainfall during the monsoon season. While most countries used to be able to predict when the dry or wet seasons would arrive, it appears that we are not only being caught off guard but that when the seasons do arrive, they arrive in full force.
Earlier this year, Bangladesh and India were among two countries that were severely impacted by wet season flooding, which displaced thousands and resulted in an unimaginable death toll.
It appears that the extreme weather has not cleared up but is only getting worse as China and Pakistan face either end of the extremes. While one country is suffering due to the lack of water the other country is facing troubles with having too much of it.
Heavy rainfall in Pakistan
Pakistan, like other countries with monsoon seasons, experiences wet and dry seasons every year. However, it appears that, due to major climate changes, this year's wet season is more intense than anyone could have predicted.
The heavy rains that began in mid-June have now lasted for over a month, affecting over 2.3 million people, destroying an estimated 93,350 homes, killing over 504, 000 livestock, and destroying a large portion of the infrastructure in the hardest hit areas.
According to the country's National Disaster Management Authority, as of August 28, over 1,000 people had died as a result of the flooding, including 348 children. While the country usually experiences three or four rain cycles per year, in 2022 the country has already faced up to 8 cycles of rainfall.
By August 2022, heavy rains had caused landslides and flash floods, with the government officially declaring that 66 districts had been 'calamity hit.' The country has now requested additional international assistance, claiming that the aid provided by the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates was insufficient to assist everyone affected by the floods.
The country is in a dire state as they were already trying to recover from an economic crisis when the flooding struck, undoing any progress made in recent months.
“Pakistan has been grappling with economic issues, but now just when we were about to overcome them the monsoon disaster hit”
While the effects of flooding in some Pakistani villages are still unknown, a lack of food and an increase in water-borne diseases demonstrate the full extent of the devastation, even if it cannot be fully comprehended yet.
China on the other end of the extreme
While Pakistan is faced with extreme rainfall and flooding, some 300 kilometres away China is facing the other end of the extreme as the country is facing record-breaking heatwaves this year.
Following extreme drought and 11 weeks of non-stop heatwaves, the country which heavily relies on its rivers is facing their worst fear as some of the country's major rivers started drying up. One of the most important rivers in China, the Yangtze river, which acts as the main water source for over 400 million people has hit a record low as the rainfall around the basin of the river was 45 percent less than normal this year.
In addition to this, states like Sichuan are facing major issues as they relied heavily on hydropower systems, now facing power-rationing as the extreme hot weathers continue to dry up rivers, While authorities do not expect the arising crisis to last beyond summer as rainfalls are expected, this year's heatwave which has lasted over 64 days is the longest heatwave the country has faced since 1961.
While Southern China faces high temperatures and an increased fear of forest fires, Northern China is facing extreme rainfalls, much like Pakistan.
Extreme weather changes have become more common in recent years, resulting in a number of weather-related deaths around the world. While countries heavily impacted by extreme weather have begun to advocate for better climate policies, major steps have yet to be taken by world leaders.
