Starting this summer, monsoon rains and floods have caused devastating results for the people of Pakistan. Over 1,500 people have been confirmed to be dead, 12,758 have been injured and over 33 million people have been affected in total.
Three hundred and ninety bridges over rivers and gaps and 7,902 miles of roadways have been destroyed, making travel nearly impossible. Scientists all over the world and Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority have speculated that climate change has much to do with calamity.
Many of the changes and dangers in the world are occurring due to the current stage of climate change we are in. Humans are in the line of fire, and despite being blamed for many of the natural disasters in the last 50 years, are not completely at fault. The Earth has been going through global warming and/or global cooling periods since its birth. Each period of either can last over 100,000 years, with mini reversal periods in between the latter. Our current period of global warming can be traced back to having begun in the early 1830s, while the industrial revolution was in the horizon and when the world was due for another warming period.
A mini-ice age occurred primarily in Europe between 1645 and 1715 with winters lasting unusually long and ice panning over miles of the seas. The last full-on ice age occurred over 11,800 years ago. Hence, I don’t necessarily believe human-caused global warming is entirely to blame.
Flooding happens everywhere, especially in high mountainous areas in the Asian continent such as Pakistan. Rains come down the mountains, flooding settlements near their bases. Now, this is not to blame people for their choice of settlement, but it explains the “natural” in the term “natural disaster.”
Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy caused similar damage in our land here in the U.S. Efforts to clean up and repair the damages left behind are still being made. Katrina is 17 years ago, had claimed 1,833 lives and Sandy nearly 10 years ago as of Oct. 29 of this year had claimed 233 lives.
Many other storms spanning the world’s history can be shown as examples of the pattern of normality for monsoons, cyclones, and/or hurricanes. Now let the record show that I am not attempting to downplay the suffering that is occurring in Pakistan at the moment. It is truly heartbreaking to see people suffer due to things out of their own control. Anyone can see that it will take years to rebuild and recover from the losses of homes, businesses and livelihoods.
Anyone can see that people's lives are being flipped upside down. My only argument is to show that perhaps human-caused climate change may not be the sole culprit for the disasters that have occurred. Mother Nature does as she pleases. Flooding occurs every year all over the world during the same times. My thoughts and prayers go to the affected by the Pakistani floods. May you all find peace and be relieved of your current burdens as the calamity subsides. Until then, I pray for your safety and your comfort through these trying times.