he loss of life and damage in Nepal’s Bagmati province and adjoining territories has been colossal. More than 1,300 people lost their lives; many are missing. Meteorological experts say that glacier collapse and rock avalanche appear to be the key reasons behind this extraordinary catastrophe. Even extending effective relief and rehabilitation support to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the calamity will take a painfully long time.

Rain and floods recently gripped Pakistan’s northern areas as well. Islamabad, Rawalpindi and adjoining areas experienced an extraordinary spell of rains during early September. Urban flooding and consequent damage were observed in many locations, including E-11 Sector, Park Road and Ghauri Town. The administration cited the usual reason: encroachments along the right of way of important natural drains and excessive rainfall.

It is important to note that extraordinary incidents such as glacier melt and cloudbursts are becoming more frequent. They impact our northern territory to a significant degree. The tragic loss of life in Buner last year due to similar reasons is a case in point. The administration will do well to analyse the reasons behind these challenges and prepare to implement strategies for our cities and other categories of human settlements.

Urban flooding is often attributed to the development of katchi abadis and informal settlements. But we also come across developments sanctioned by regulatory authorities that become an obstruction to the flow of rainwater. Uncoordinated real estate development, especially in suburban terrains, constitutes a specific instance. Development authorities and agencies conveniently allow the conversion of nullah banks and their distributaries into plots for commercial sales.

The actual right of way for the flow of rainwater is often reduced through reclamation. This causes a serious obstruction to flow of gushing rainwater during torrential rains. Connectivity of smaller drain channels from sub neighbourhoods into area drains (nullahs) is compromised due to various types of physical construction barriers. Development work has also taken place in locations which city plans had recommended for livestock rearing, urban agriculture, forestation and other green options. It may be noted that the so-called anti-encroachment drives conducted by various government agencies in different cities, have proven largely ineffective in enabling rainwater drainage.

Given that Islamabad remains a water stressed city for most of the year, rainwater can become a huge resource. But this resource can only be utilised if proper planning, arrangements and systems are put in place. Water consumption profile of the city shows that 60 percent of the water consumed is drawn from surface sources and about 40 percent is drawn from wells. Due to excessive pumping, the water table has fallen significantly. The city has a mandatory provision of rain water harvesting but the recharge still is well below the desirable level. Surfaces that allow rainwater to be absorbed in the soil without obstruction are being swiftly replaced by impermeable surfaces. It is ironic to note that many urban development projects, including public space development, promote pavements and hard surfaces that do not allow water to be absorbed in the soil.

Parking lots, road edges, common spaces in between adjacent buildings and many other building typologies generally show that factory manufactured pavers are commonly used. Water recharge only happens when an unobstructed mechanism of rainwater absorption continues without hindrance in surfaces as well as slopes.

There is another common observation that top soil of suburban areas is ruthlessly excavated for construction. Unplanned excavations that denude the suburban areas of soil and foliage cover lead to swift run offs during rains. These practices must be regulated.

Islamabad and adjoining cities in the Potohar region have an undulating topography. There are several locations that can be converted into rain fed dams and water reservoirs. Unprecedented urbanisation, commercial developments and land sales for speculation often impede environment-friendly urban planning. It is disappointing to note that while earlier plans of Islamabad had identified water storage locations, at sites such as Lohi Bher, to deal with water conservation needs of the city, that land has now been given to various housing development schemes.

It may be useful to re-draw the hydrological map of the city to take into account the existing developments and identify sites still available for water reservoir developments. These should be linked to drainage patterns of rainwater for low, medium and high intensities. Without allocating land for large scale water storage, the disposal of rainwater—especially during torrential rains—will be difficult. It will also require aggressive communication of environment-friendly approaches to rainwater harvesting and conservation using available and proposed infrastructure. Once people learn to view rainwater as a resource, not a liability, they will also learn to take action to achieve the above objectives.

Our cities need a drastic retrofit for drainage infrastructure. The objective of this retrofit should be to consider rainwater as an invaluable resource worthy of conservation. This principle must apply to all cities.

Consider the fact that Karachi aims to drain rainwater into the sea through rivers and nullahs. What is needed is planning to transform drainage channels for speedy discharge of water from neighbourhoods towards purpose-built reservoirs and wetlands. Malir and Lyari are well connected with nullahs. However, these connections are getting obliterated due to haphazard urban development and new road development projects. The plans must be adjusted according to contextual realities of respective locations.

Another important consideration is to prepare for more than average rain episodes. What Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi experienced this year, and Karachi in 2025, should not be taken as isolated events. There is economic justification for these measures: protection of public as well as private assets from rain and flood damages. We simply cannot continue to drown our assets and pour new funds to build afresh each time.

The writer is an academic and researcher based in Karachi.