Unravelling the Obstacles: Hindrances Affecting the Natural Flow of the Indus River, Causing Heavy Floods in Sindh - Empowering Decision Making through Mapping of Satellite Images and GIS

Abstract

In this research, one can identify the underlying factors of the barriers (natural or manmade) that lead to floods, loss of human life, destruction of crops, infrastructures and displacement of human beings. The River Indus in Pakistan has witnessed two major floods in the last decade in 2010 and 2022. These floods have caused rampant devastation, where the human and natural aspects play a crucial part in the intensity of such disasters. The impacts have been loss of life, displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and long-term economic and environmental degradation. The majority of the damage and loss of lives occurred between Sukkur and the Dadu-Moro Bridge, which was getting more susceptible with human intrusion and bad planning. There are two Flood Protection Bunds (levees) along the river. These levees are developed to control and check the flood water especially during the monsoon. The success of these levees is however hampered by human encroachment and also by deposition of natural sediment in the river channel. As there is little space between the levees with unlawful settlements and other natural obstructions, the floodwaters become constricted resulting in breakages and overflows. These problems will need to be solved by a mixture of policy implementation, redesign of the infrastructure and riverbed management to recover the natural capacity and flow of the River Indus.