Pakistan’s 2022 Floods and Implications for U.S. Interests

Pakistan’s 2022 Floods and Implications for U.S. Interests

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Updated October 28, 2022
Pakistan’s 2022 Floods and Implications for U.S. Interests
Overview
 Livestock deaths: more than 1.1 million (43+%
The summer 2022 floods in Pakistan created a humanitarian
Balochistan, 37% Sindh, 18% Punjab);
crisis and raised environmental and governance issues with
implications for U.S. interests. In mid-June, at the
 Damaged homes: more than 2.2 million (82% Sindh);
beginning of monsoon season, heavy rains flooded areas of
 Damaged roads: more than 8,100 miles (64% Sindh);
Pakistan. Estimates range from double to several times the
damaged bridges: 439 (38% Sindh, 24% KP).
normal monsoon rainfall. By late August, flooding had
worsened to historic and catastrophic levels, reportedly
Figure 1. Homes Damaged in Pakistan’s 2022 Flooding
affecting more than 33 million people, injuring nearly
(as of September 15, 2022)
13,000 and killing more than 1,700. More than one-third of
the country was reportedly submerged at the height of the
rainfall, negatively affecting housing, infrastructure, and
livelihoods and creating extensive agricultural losses. In
early October, floodwaters began to recede. Pakistan’s
government has estimated the cost of flood damage at $30
billion and cut its projected annual economic growth for its
fiscal year ending June 2023. Islamabad reportedly will
pursue the rescheduling of about $27 billion in external
debt largely owed to China, and may seek to suspend
international debt repayments. Winter could also pose
further challenges for millions of flood-affected people.
Successive U.S. Administrations have described a stable,
democratic, and prosperous Pakistan as critical to U.S.
interests. Responding to this disaster is taxing a Pakistani

government already struggling with political upheaval,
Source: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
worsening economic and debt crises, unsettled civil-
military relations, and rising public discontent. Regional
Humanitarian Needs
stability and efforts to counter militancy and terrorism are
Pakistan’s affected populations need relief supplies,
among U.S. concerns; both may face negative impacts from
including shelter, food, and water, sanitation, hygiene
the current situation. For example, following 2010 flooding,
(WASH) and winterization assistance. Floods have
some banned Pakistani terrorist groups reportedly were at
exacerbated food insecurity across the country. The United
the forefront of rural relief efforts and may gain popular
Nations (U.N.) estimates that 7.9 million people have been
support through such activities; Pakistan’s government
displaced, with nearly 600,000 living in relief sites. The
denies any banned groups are involved in flood relief in
United Nations also reports that, of those displaced, many
2022. Congress may consider whether or not U.S.
are staying as close to their homes and the affected areas as
assistance in response to the floods would serve U.S.
possible due to concerns that lack of land ownership
interests, including economic and security objectives.
documentation could prevent future returns. Pakistan hosts
roughly 800,000 Afghan refugees some of whom also have
Flood Damage—Initial Assessments
been affected. In many areas, damaged roads and bridges
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority
hampered the humanitarian response. Even as floodwaters
(NDMA) is the lead federal agency for disaster relief
recede, the risk remains of vector-borne disease (such as
coordination, including relief operations supported by
malaria) and water-borne disease (including diarrhea and
Pakistan’s army, navy, and air force. The provinces of
cholera) as well as threats from venomous wildlife such as
Sindh and Balochistan appear most affected (see Figure 1).
poisonous snakes. With vaccine campaigns suspended and
As of October 28, 2022, the NDMA is reporting the
access to care limited, maintaining maternal health and
following damage due to flooding since June 14, 2022:
protection from gender-based violence, and addressing
outbreaks of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other
 1,735 killed (46% Sindh, 19% Balochistan, 18% Khyber medical conditions are a priority.
Pakhtunkhwa or KP, 13% Punjab) and 12,867 injured;

National and International Responses
Affected population: more than 33 million (44% Sindh,
Government of Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
28% Balochistan, 15% Punjab, 13% KP);
established a National Flood Response and Coordination
Center to facilitate a multiagency response in coordination
with the NDMA as well as relief sites for the displaced.
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Pakistan’s 2022 Floods and Implications for U.S. Interests
Pakistan is providing cash assistance to those affected,
decreased by at least 80% since its 1947 independence. The
while provincial governments may redirect development
annual rate of forest loss in Pakistan in the last three
funds to flood relief. Islamabad also has verified several
decades is one of the highest in Asia, according data
fund-raising agencies on the GoFundMe website.
compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization.
International Responses. In October 2022, the United
Poor governance and planning, and lack of political will,
Nations issued a revised Humanitarian Appeal for $816
also might contribute to Pakistan’s vulnerability to floods.
million to support an Islamabad-led flood response through
Inadequate water management likely played a role.
May 2023. The Appeal identified 9.5 million people in
Following the 2010 floods, the government reportedly
particularly urgent need of humanitarian assistance in the
failed to implement plans that would have reduced the
34 most affected districts in Balochistan, Sindh, KP, and
consequences of future floods by preventing rebuilding in
Punjab. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
and repopulating of flood-prone areas. Laws barring
launched an appeal for $65.8 million focused on flood-
construction too close to river banks apparently were
affected Afghan refugees and host communities in four
widely violated. Current political divisions in Pakistan may
districts: Peshawar, Quetta, Nowshera, and Karachi. Other
complicate federal-provincial coordination.
international relief agencies have also launched funding
appeals. The U.N. Secretary-General called for “massive”
In his September address to the U.N. General Assembly,
international support. Other organizations are promoting
President Joe Biden singled out Pakistan’s disaster as an
“climate justice,” arguing for recognition of climate
example of the “human cost of climate change.” The U.N.
change’s role in this disaster and the burden on Pakistan.
Secretary-General and Pakistan’s prime minister are among
Humanitarian efforts also aim to provide early recovery
those positing a causal link between climate change and
programming, as populations require less life-saving
recent flooding. A rapid, non-peer-reviewed September
assistance and need more resilience activities. International
“attribution” study suggested “climate change could have
financial institutions have pledged funds for Pakistan
increased the rainfall intensity” in Pakistan in 2022, among
disaster relief and development, with the majority coming
several factors that experts identify as contributing to the
from the World Bank.
event. Some analyses see Pakistan as especially vulnerable
to climate-related extreme weather events. Yale
U.S. Response to Pakistan’s Floods
University’s 2022 Environmental Performance Index gave
In August 2022, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan issued a
Pakistan an overall ranking of 176th of 180 countries,
disaster declaration. The U.S. Agency for International
including 175th in “climate change mitigation” (mainly
Development (USAID) has since established teams to
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions). A June 2022 U.N.
assess the impact of the floods and to coordinate the U.S.
report projects that, in a “worst-case climate change
government flood response in Islamabad and Washington,
scenario,” Pakistan could realize average annual economic
DC, respectively. As of October 27, for FYs 2022-2023, the
losses equal to more than 9% of its GDP. Going forward,
U.S. government had provided $83.5 million in
Pakistan may join other developing nations in pushing to
humanitarian assistance. (Earlier in FY2022, USAID also
establish international funding for recovery from natural
provided $3 million in Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and
disasters that they say are caused by climate change.
Resilience funding.) During September, the Pentagon’s
Central Command flew USAID relief supplies from
Issues for Congress
USAID’s Dubai warehouse to Pakistan to support USAID-
For over a decade, Congress annually has enacted security-
led humanitarian response operations. Bilateral U.S.
and human rights-related conditions on bilateral aid to
development aid to Pakistan—estimated at $71 million for
Pakistan. Congress may consider whether and if so, how to
FY2022, with $84 million requested for FY2023—is
address the crisis in Pakistan through humanitarian or more
expected to continue, including over $1 million in grants
strategic long-term assistance amid unprecedented global
and project support provided in August, and with programs
humanitarian need and competing priorities. Congress
adapting, in part, to address the long-term impact of the
could consider whether the United States should provide
2022 floods. In late September, the United States suspended
humanitarian assistance through multilateral channels such
service payments on $132 million of Pakistan’s debt.
as the United Nations or nongovernmental implementing
partners, and monitor how the executive branch allocates
Environmental and Governance Issues
such assistance. Bilateral development activities could be
Pakistan suffers from environmental and governance
aligned more closely with U.S. objectives in Pakistan and
challenges that potentially worsen natural disasters,
also channeled through the government. For all U.S.
including flooding. A World Bank Vulnerability
support, Congress could conduct oversight of the delivery
Assessment found that “Pakistan faces some of the highest
challenges encountered, including access and security
disaster risk levels in the world.” In mid-2010, the country
conditions in Pakistan, which could undermine the
experienced the most catastrophic flooding in its history
effectiveness of humanitarian operations and development
until then, a disaster that officially killed more than 1,700
aid; and/or assess the flood disaster responses of the
persons, affected more than 20% of the land area and 20
Islamabad government and international donors so as to
million people, and caused billions of dollars in damage.
improve disaster preparedness and prevention activities,
According to a Scientific American assessment later that
and to reduce the harm caused by future flood events.
year, the scale of that flooding was “made worse by a
history of deforestation and land-use changes in the affected
K. Alan Kronstadt, Specialist in South Asian Affairs
areas.” Analysts estimate that Pakistan’s tree cover has
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Pakistan’s 2022 Floods and Implications for U.S. Interests

IF12211
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
Humanitarian Policy

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12211 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED