Kareem Baksh Sohrabi was in Jannat Bazaar, a bustling hub in the coastal region of Gwadar, Pakistan, when the rain started pouring down on February 27. Seeking shelter from the downpour, he took refuge in a nearby shop, hoping the rain would soon pass.
But it didn’t. It kept raining relentlessly, and soon, the entire bazaar was submerged in water.
After waiting for hours, Kareem finally made his way home through the flooded streets. Upon reaching home, he received the devastating news that his beloved boat had been destroyed in the Sur Bandar area of the city, where it was docked.
The weight of the news hit Kareem hard. His boat was his sole source of income; it was also a symbol of his hard work and dedication. With his livelihood now in ruins, Kareem faced an uncertain future.
Kareem wasn’t the only one to suffer during the recent rain and floods in Gwadar. Throughout the city, boats were broken, shops were swept away, and houses crumbled under the relentless force of nature. The streets turned into rivers, making it impossible for anyone to move around.
As the situation worsened and the rain continued for 30 hours with few breaks. The entire city became disconnected from the nearby district of Kech and the more-distant urban hub of Karachi when the Basol River washed away the Makran Coastal Highway near Ormara. Roads were submerged, bridges collapsed, and communication lines went dead. Gwadar, once a bustling coastal town called the pearl of the Belt and Road initiative, now lay isolated and vulnerable, cut off from the outside world.
According to a March 4 report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Balochistan, the recent rains have completely destroyed 97 houses while 200 others were partially damaged. Gwadar alone accounted for over 85 fully destroyed homes and over 175 damaged homes. Five people were reported killed in Balochistan, along with 30 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PDMA cautioned that these were preliminary damage counts, as surveys of losses and damages were ongoing in Gwadar, Kech, and Kharan districts.
Another report compiled by the Haq Do Tehreek, dated February 29, asserted that more than 300 houses were damaged, and people’s livestock and infrastructure suffered heavy losses due to the recent calamitous weather. According to reports, Gwadar received over 180 millimeters of rain in only two days, nearly double the normal annual rainfall of the district, 100 millimeters.
Commissioner of Makran Division Shabbir Mengal indicated that nearby areas such as Pasni, Jiwani, Sur-Bandar, Pishukaan, TTC Colony, and the settlements of Mula Band Ward and Koh Bin Ward were severely affected, leaving many homeless and forcing them to seek refuge in safer areas.
Furthermore, the heavy rains in the nearby catchment areas caused the Akra Kaur, Swad, and Shadi Kur dams to overflow with floodwater.
The PDMA said that over 900 individuals have been rescued by Pakistani authorities in Gwadar, with ongoing efforts led by the deputy commissioner in the city. The PDMA report underscored its attempts to drain accumulated water and assist victims, with support from the Pakistan Navy, Army, and district administration. Its report lists thousands of supplies – tents, tarps, gas cylinders, etc. – that have been delivered to affected districts.
But all these claims of supplies and proactive rehabilitation for the calamity-hit port city ring hollow for the inhabitants, as evident in their recent protest blocking Marine Drive near the B&R Chowk. Locals are critical of the slow water removal process by the PDMA and district administration.
CPEC refers to the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a joint project intended to foster nationwide development through factories, pipelines, and construction of the Gwadar port. For Gwadar in particular, the loft goal is to turn the city into a mega-port and commercial hub akin to Dubai and Singapore.