Editor’s Note: An unabridged version of this article was first published by Crisis Ready here. CrisisReady is a collaboration between Direct Relief and Harvard University School of Public Health.
Heavy rainfall in Southern Pakistan and melting glaciers in the country’s northern mountains have caused massive floods and flash floods that continue to devastate districts across the region. The floods have killed at least 1,191 people, 399 of whom were children, since the flooding began in mid-June at the beginning of the monsoon season. In addition to this, a reported 3,554 individuals have been injured. The National Disaster Management Authority stated that as of August 29, 2022, more than 33 million people have been impacted and more than 1 million houses have been destroyed.
The floods have spawned a critical humanitarian crisis as damage and displacement increase across the country. So far, 66 districts have been officially declared “calamity hit.” An estimated 50,000 people have been evacuated since rescue efforts began. Pakistan’s meteorological office has predicted that more flash floods are expected throughout September.
CrisisReady has published an interactive map that shows population movement patterns driven by the floods between August 13, 2022, and September 5, 2022. Data reflecting population movement originated from selected level 2 administrative units of Pakistan, including Karachi, Larkana, Malakand, Quetta, and Sukkur.
The red arrows (shown below) on the map show the directional patterns of population movement. The size (width) of the arrows correlates with the volume of individuals displaced from the selected origins. The larger the arrow, the greater number of movement vectors. Transparency of arrows indicates the baseline population traveling between the origin and the destination under the pre-crisis situation.
The maps were generated using data provided by Data for Good at Meta. For more information about the disaster population maps provided by Data for Good at Meta. Data on flood extent is gathered using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), an instrument that collects visible and infrared images and global observations of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans.
