The recent floods arose from heavy rainfall in Central Asia and the northwestern Himalaya, causing torrential downpours along downstream waterways. High up in the northern mountains of Pakistan, a complex network of rivulets and streams coalesce into major rivers such as the Jhelum and Indus. These rivers, along with western systems such as the Kabul river recently swelled with heavy precipitation, overflowing their banks not just at irrigated areas but also near such unlikely habitations as Nowshera and other cities west of the Indus. Women tend to suffer the most in such calamaties, as they are poorly equipped to defend themselves against the onslaught of nature.
Ladies from major cities such as Lahore and Karachi are pitching in with material and financial help to alleviate the suffering of their unfortunate compatriots. Lets hope the people of Pakistan can manage to overcome what is only the latest in a string of misfortunes to befall this wretched nation.
