Devastating rains have flooded the country of Pakistan, plunging the country underwater. Since June 14th, 2022, the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan has killed 1,700 people and affected over 33 million people. The damage is estimated at a shocking $30 billion. Pakistan’s flooding has been due to what the United Nations call a “Monsoon on Steroids,” which is because the rainfall is 500% above average. The monsoon’s predictable trajectory has changed drastically due to global warming, and has taken a rampage. 

The impact of this has been ruinous, with more than 27 million not having access to food, houses and crops being swept away, and disease spreading exponentially every day. Sophomore Aliza Ahmad said, “Pakistan’s living conditions are usually [bad], so they are probably [worse] now.” This sums up the horrible housing situations and the millions of homeless who are living in the middle of streets. 

The real question is, why is this tragedy not being recognized in the US? While thousands are dying, the rest of the world is blissfully unaware that Pakistan is going through a humanitarian crisis. Ahmad tells us that although it has been on the news, not many people have been talking about Pakistan’s devastating floods. When asking Broad Run students if they knew about the floods, less than 50% had been educated about the crisis. Those who did know simply seemed indifferent to the problem. This proves that there needs to be an increase of awareness amongst Broad Run students. 

Although we are over 7,000 miles away, there are things we can do to help. The first way we can help is by donating to projects that are helping Pakistan. I strongly encourage looking at programs such as  UNHCR, UNICEF, Save the Children, and HI. Donating to these projects helps supply Pakistan with food, supplies, clean water, and medical support which they desperately need. If you are not able to donate, educating yourself and telling others about the crisis is also a great way to raise awareness of the floods. Whether it is by word of mouth or an Instagram story, letting people know that an issue is occurring is crucial. 

Although Pakistan is going through a difficult time as of right now, the country has been through a lot but always prospers. With help from communities, Pakistan will get the support it needs. Freshman Satvik Paramathmuni agreed when he said, “Pakistan Zindabad!”

For more information, visit https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2022-pakistan-floods/ 

For more donation sites, visit https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-to-help-pakistans-flood-victims