Introduction to the Disaster
The 2010 flooding in Pakistan was a widespread disaster that affected over 20 million people. Beginning in July, Pakistan experienced almost 10 years of rainfall in only one week. The rivers swelled and flooded nearby communities with water. Even after the rain stopped, the water was slow to recede and pools of stagnant water covered parts of the country. 1.4 million acres of cropland flooded causing a food shortage for people living in heavily flooded areas. Over 5,000 miles of roads and railways washed away, 7,000 schools were destroyed, and 302,000 houses were damaged (or destroyed). The total cost of the disaster was estimated to be about 7.1 billion dollars. Worst of all, at least 1,600 people and 14,000 cattle died because of the floods. Below are two maps showing the most affected areas.