American Journal of Social Science Research
Articles Information
American Journal of Social Science Research, Vol.1, No.1, Apr. 2015, Pub. Date: Mar. 28, 2015
Sindh Drought 2014 – Pakistan: Was It a Natural or a Man-Made Disaster
Pages: 16-20 Views: 4525 Downloads: 2428
Authors
[01] Mustafa Pasha, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
[02] Arshad Ali, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
[03] Abdul Waheed, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Abstract
Since start of this century Pakistan is experiencing a drastic surge in the frequency and intensity of both natural and manmade disasters causing enormous losses to human and animal life, adversely affecting the social and psychological fiber of society, badly damaging property, infrastructure, services and environment thus setting back the development and increasing the poverty levels. Droughts are the most frequented natural disasters causing wide spread devastation in the province of Sindh in Pakistan. District Thar was struck by drought in February 2014, which caused over 167 fatalities. Thar is the eight largest desert of the world and biggest desert of Pakistan. District Thar is declared most food insecure regions of Pakistan by World Food Programme. The paper is based on secondary data, extracted through extensive review of newspapers, magazines, and research articles. Primary data was obtained through conducting interviews people involved in relief operations. The study has concluded that Sindh drought-2014in Pakistan was caused by famine like situation due to lack of precipitation for a prolonged duration in the Thar Desert. Low average annual rainfall is a common and a regular phenomenon being experienced in the region and drought like situation develops almost every year. However the extra ordinary destruction caused by the drought in 2014, were due to sheer negligence of administrative authorities and Sindh government. The study recommends construction of small water reservoirs, wide spread plantation of trees in the country and preparation of comprehensive drought management strategy.
Keywords
Disasters, Natural Disasters, Man-Made Disasters, Floods, Pakistan
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