One of Pakistan's worst natural disasters, affecting 20 million people and roughly one-fifth of the country's land area.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- 1,985
- People affected
- 20 million
- Land area affected
- ~one-fifth of Pakistan
- Infrastructure damage
- exceeds $4 billion USD
- Total economic impact
- up to $43 billion USD
- UN emergency relief requested
- $460 million USD
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Exceptionally heavy monsoon rains in mid-to-late July 2010 inundated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan regions of Pakistan, overwhelming the Indus River basin and triggering catastrophic flooding across the country.
Beginning in late July 2010, the floods submerged approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the greatest toll, accounting for over 90% of the 1,985 nationwide deaths. An estimated 20 million people were displaced or otherwise directly affected, and ten million were forced to drink unsafe water.
Widespread destruction of property, crops, and infrastructure caused economic losses estimated at up to US$43 billion. The UN Secretary-General called it the worst disaster he had witnessed and appealed for US$460 million in emergency relief, though only 20% had been received by mid-August 2010, hampering the humanitarian response.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 1,985 (flood)