Extreme weather events and their socioeconomic impacts: A remote sensing-based analysis of flood damages

Abstract

Global warming is a primary cause of change in global climate patterns. Pakistan ranks among the eight nations that have been impacted by global warming. Pakistan is experiencing significant consequences due to the increasing frequency and intensity of floods. A recent flood in 2022 affected 33 million people and destroyed 2.3 million houses. The study used Sentinel-1 data to extract the precise flood extent and its impacts on infrastructure and cropland in Pakistan's Sindh province. According to the results, the recent flood caused extensive damage to about ∼7340 kilometers, from which ∼1220 kilometers of roads were damaged in the Dadu district. A total of ∼4343 acres of settlement areas was affected along with 0.82 million acres of croplands by flood across different districts of Sindh. Pakistan recently experienced a temperature of 40 °C in many cities during May. It is worth noting that the average temperature in Pakistan has been steadily rising over the past 70 years. In addition, numerous cities experienced unprecedented levels of precipitation within a single month and heavy rainfall within a single day. According to the study, the key factors contributing to this severe flood include heavy monsoon rains, extreme temperatures, rapid glacial melting, and inadequate governance. The study suggested potential solutions to avoid this type of crisis in the future, including the green revolution to avoid extreme temperatures, dam constructions, long-term political stability, raising awareness about climate change, and infrastructure advancement.