Description: Massive monsoon floods submerged several cities in India and Pakistan as both countries struggled to contain the water flows which prompted the evacuation of more than 1 million people in Pakistan. Pakistan’s Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, has stated that after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty following the Pahalgam attack, information regarding water levels in the rivers and forecasting reports have stalled since the information has been slowly passed through India’s embassy in Islamabad. The critical point which further deteriorated the situation was the middle section of the Madhupur barrage which controls the Ravi River in India. The barrage exploded sending tons of water downstream which flooded larger parts of Lahore and threatened to submerge the town of Jhang. Monsoon floods have so far caused the deaths of 820 people in Pakistan and critically damaged agricultural capabilities in the country’s eastern provinces.
Impact: Natural disasters such as major floodings emphasize the need for close bilateral cooperation and immediate communication even with adversarial countries. The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India in Apr disabled rapid communication and transference of data regarding the local forecasts and water flows which forced the regional rivals to communicate through embassy diplomatic channels. The floods also highlight the necessity of having developed infrastructure and emergency services which could at least limit the impacts of the natural disaster on human life and critical infrastructure. The natural disaster impacting both countries also outlines the absence of early warning systems which pose a threat to reigniting bilateral tensions between India and Pakistan and impact the informal ceasefire agreement brokered by the US. Emergency and military personnel in both countries are currently overwhelmed in combating the floods which downgrades the potential for the escalation of the tensions.