WORST NATURAL DISASTERS OF

PAKISTANIn Detail

Defination

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. Examples:

Floods. Volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Drought. Cyclons. Other geologic processes.

Before the independence of Pakistan

The pre-1947 era also saw some disasters that wrecked havoc in western India (present-day Pakistan). 

Many cyclones were reported, but there estimated damage is unconfirmed. 

Following are those natural disasters, which have confirmed data regarding the number of deaths and damage.

1935 Balochistan Earthquake

At 3:02 am PST at Quetta, a powerful earthquake rocked the city and surrounding areas.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7. Anywhere between 30,000 and 60,000

people died from the impact. The natural disaster ranks as the 23rd

most deadly earthquake worldwide .

1945 earth quake & tsunami

On 28 November 1945 at 1:56 am (local time), a massive earthquake, off Pakistan’s Makran Coast generated a destructive tsunami in the Northern Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. 

More than 4,000 people were killed along the Makran Coast of Pakistan.

The earthquake was of 8.1 magnitude, major quake. 

The tsunami reached a height of 17 metre  in some areas of the Makran coast and caused great damage to the entire coastal region of Pakistan.

Disasters in 20th century – After the independence

During the 20th century, Pakistan saw a great number of natural calamities. The disasters severely hit the back bone of the economy of Pakistan.

During the year 1970, a major category  Cyclone  devastated East Pakistan that left some 500,000 people dead.

In 20th century, a number of cyclones also devastated the western Pakistan, along with earthquakes.

Cyclones of Karachi 1965 & of 1999

Not much is known about 1965 cyclone but it is the deadliest tropical storm in the history of Pakistan as it caused 10,000 casualties in Karachi on 15 December.

1999 cyclone is the strongest and most intense cyclone in the history of Pakistan.

It killed 6200 people in the country and made landfall in Shah Bandar at peak intensity on 20 May near Karachi city in Sindh province.

1964 Indus valley cyclone &1993 Pak-Indo cyclone

1964 cyclone made landfall in Tharparkar and Hyderabad district in Sindh province in Pakistan on 12 June.

However it caused a great loss of life and property in the province. It killed 450 people and left some 400,000 people homeless.

 1993 cyclone weakened over the sea near Sindh-Gujrat border due to high wind shear.

However it caused massive rainfall and flooding in Karachi but Thatta and Badin districts were the worst affected where

The cyclone killed 609 people and displaced some 200,000 others.

Worst flooding of 20th in Pakistan

Pakistan along with other nations of Indian-Sub continent have seen a lot of flooding especially during the monsoon season.

Pakistan has seen 9 major flooding since 1947.

1950 “Kala Salab” & 1992 floods

Monsoon rain in 1950 killed an estimated 2,900 people across the country. Punjab Province, including the city of Lahore, was among the worst hit when the River Ravi flooded. Over 100,000 homes were destroyed, leaving around 900,000 people homeless. These floods were often called the Kala salab (Black flood).

It was considered the worst flooding in Pakistan since 1950, the monsoon rainfall caused massive floods that killed 1,000+ people and made some 13,000+ people homeless.

Worst Earthquake of 20th in Pakistan

This Earthquake was a magnitude of 6.2 and hit Hunza, Hazara and Swat districts of northern Pakistan on December 28, 1974.

The quake had a shallow focal depth and was followed by numerous aftershocks.

An official estimate of the number killed was 5,300 with approximately 17,000 injured. A total of 97,000 were reported affected by the tremor.

Most of the destruction was centred around the village of Pattan, located about 100 miles north of the capital city of Islamabad.

The village was almost completely destroyed. Landslides and rock falls contributed to the damage.

 Hunza earth quake in 1974

Worst Natural Disasters in the 21st century

Up till now that is 2011, some of major disasters have occurred in Pakistan from 2005 Earthquake to 2010 floods.

Following is the worst natural disasters in Pakistan from 2000 till 2011;

Drought of 1998-2002

The drought of 1998-2002 is considered worst in 50 years in Pakistan. The drought started in 1997 as El-Nino developed, but the drought gained intensity in 1998 and reached its peak in 2000 till 2001 and thus gradually weakened in 2002.

The extreme drought also affected much of India and Afghanistan.

The World Bank warned that the drought would inevitably hit economic growth of Pakistan.

Thus it denoted several hundred-million dollars to help Pakistan through its worsening drought.

Drought 1997 -2002

2005 Kashmir Earthquake

A 7.6-Richter scale quake struck the Kashmir region on the India-Pakistan border and parts of northwestern Pakistan on 8 October 2005.

According to official figures, at least 73,000 people were killed and more than 3.3 million made homeless.

Work even continues today to rebuild damaged infrastructure.

Margalla tower islamabad

Cyclone Karachi

It killed 200 people alone in Karachi city on 23 June due to heavy rainfall and intense windstorms of 70 mph.

It made landfall near the towns of Ormara and Pasni in the Balochistan province on 26 June where it killed 300 people.

Overall it killed 730 people and affected the lives of 2 million people in Pakistan making it the third deadliest cyclone in the history of the country.

2010 Pakistan floods

2,000 people lost their lives in these floods in Pakistan and over 20 million affected.

Pakistan had sought international help to cope with the catastrophe.

Despite mass evacuations, there were fears the death toll will rise as flooding reached the southern province of Sindh and the risk of water-borne disease outbreaks increased in many areas. Still many people are living in camps after one year has passed by. ,

1900 to 2011 Numbers of killed

Disaster Date No. Killed

Earthquake (seismic activity) 8-Oct-2005 73,338

Earthquake (seismic activity) 31-May-1935 60,000

Storm 15-Dec-1965 10,000

Earthquake (seismic activity) 28-Dec-1974 4,700

Earthquake (seismic activity) 27-Nov-1945 4,000

Flood 1950 2,900

Flood 28-Jul-2010 1,961

Flood 8-Sep-1992 1,334

Flood 2-Mar-1998 1,000

Flood Jun-1977 84

1900 to 2011 Numbers of total affected people

Disaster Date No Total Affected

Flood 28-Jul-2010 20,202,327

Flood 9-Feb-2005 7,000,450

Flood 8-Sep-1992 6,655,450

Flood 6,184,418 15-Jul-1992 6,184,418

Flood 2-Aug-1976 5,566,000

Earthquake (seismic activity) 8-Oct-2005 5,128,000

Flood Aug-1973 4,800,000

Flood Jul-1978 2,246,000

Drought Nov-1999 2,200,000

Storm 26-Jun-2007 1,650,000

1900 to 2011 Economic damage costs

Disaster Date Damage (000 US$)

Flood 28-Jul-2010 9,500,000

Earthquake (seismic activity) 8-Oct-2005 5,200,000

Storm 26-Jun-2007 1,620,000

Flood 8-Sep-1992 1,000,000

Flood Aug-1973 661,500

Flood 2-Aug-1976 505,000

Flood 10-Aug-2007 327,118

Drought Nov-1999 247,000

Flood 22-Jul-2001 246,000

Flood 2-Aug-2008 103,000