PoK: Locals face survival challenges due to floods, landslides
Apr 26, 2024
Muzaffarabad [PoK], April 26 : The Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) region has been facing several landslides and a flood-like situation in villages surrounding Muzaffarabad has made it difficult for them to commute during emergencies.
These landslides and flood-like situations have now damaged both public and private property causing major financial losses not only to individuals but also to the government. A resident from the PoK area named Kashif mentioned that even a little rain causes major damage to roads because of repeated landslides.
He added that "there are no safety nets in the area which safeguards roads, and because of landslides, the roads get damaged, which causes problems for us when we desire to reach Muzaffarabad in case of emergency. The damaged roads are now causing major traffic jams and the government is also not taking any initiative for clearing these roads after landslides.".
"Rarely dozers come to clear these roads but soon after they get blocked again because of repeated landslides. We live in regions that are away from the main cities of POK. These traffic jams and damaged roads delay essentials that are needed for our survival".
Another local from the Chunar area named Abdul Wahab Kiyani living near the Jhelum River stated that " The entire POK has been suffering from rains and thundershowers due to which the river water is very almost at the flood level, making our lives difficult".
On the other side, Gilgit Baltistan has seen significant climatic changes over the past recent decades, such as a considerable increase in annual mean temperature and shifts in precipitation patterns, influencing the vegetation in the region.
The effects of climate change are now affecting the cycle of seasons and the natural habitat of wildlife in GB, eventually leading to a rise in average temperatures and the destruction of the natural ecosystem and wildlife. This also affects the lives of locals who depend on natural resources for survival.
"Climate change not only affects humans but also creates problems for wildlife. If the snowfall does not occur during a set time, the entire environmental cycle gets shifted. Last year, the snowfall had shifted towards March and April. This not only changes and affects the migration cycle of the local animals, but also creates problems in their feeding cycles and habitats of migratory species." said Sayed Yasir Abbas, an ecological expert from Gilgit Baltistan.
