Once a vibrant hub for fishing and tourism, the coastal town of Gwadar in Pakistan is now fighting with the devastating effects of climate change. After a decade of extreme weather events, residents and experts warn that the future of the city is at risk.
Last February, Gwadar endured almost 30 consecutive hours of stormy rain, causing widespread floods, washing roads, bridges and communication lines.
The city, built on sand dunes and bounded by the Arabian Sea, is especially vulnerable to rising sea level and extreme weather patterns.
Pazeer Ahmed, a hydrologist based in Gwadar, warns that the city’s low -lying areas can be partially or fully immersed if the sea level continues to rise. “It’s no less than an island nation situation,” he said.
The city’s once advantageous proximity to the sea has now become an existential threat, with warmer oceans that create larger waves that erode the coastline.
Abdul Rahim, Deputy CEO of Gwadar Development Authority, described the situation as “alarming” and noted that many homes have already been washed away due to rising tidal actions and rising sea temperatures.
The increase in sea level, composed of melting glaciers, has caused significant coastal erosion. Karachi’s sea level has already risen by almost 8 inches (20 cm) between 1916 and 2016, with projections suggesting a different increase of 1.3 cm in 2040.
In areas near Gwadar, including Pishukan and Ganz, waves have immersed mosques, schools and settlements. In some places, rocks are eroded, which has left beaches devoid of structures.
Despite the efforts to build sea walls to protect the coast, these measures have proved inadequate in light of the growing challenges that climate change is facing.
The Saltwater intrusion has also affected government land and private properties, where residents such as the former local Rådmann Qadir Baksh struggle to keep the water in check with daily pumping.
“The rain that came last year has not gone,” Baksh said. “The water rises from the ground at such a speed, it reaches the four walls of my home if we do not drive the generator every day to extract it.”
The rapid urbanization and construction of Gwadar has worsened floods where traditional drainage systems are disturbed.
The city, a key component of a major Chinese-led development project, has seen significant investments in infrastructure, including a deep port, an international airport and highways. However, despite foreign investments, the city lacks a proper wastewater and drainage system that aggravates its vulnerability.
Fishing, when a key industry, has also been severely affected. Shrinking fish catches, vanishing native species and changing migration patterns have left society fighting.
Rising sea temperatures and invasive species such as puffer fish contribute to these challenges along with illegal fishing practice and foreign trawlers.
Agriculture in the surrounding areas has suffered from water scarcity, where locals report falling crops and livestock deaths. The wider pattern of climate extremes, including floods, heat waves and droughts, has led to a decrease in agricultural productivity in Pakistan, according to the united nations’ intergovernmental panel on climate change.
“There are heat waves and dust storms in Gwadar,” Ahmed said. “But the biggest effect of climate change here is that there is too much water and not enough of it. If nothing is done to solve this problem, we have no other option but to withdraw. “
As climate change continues to threaten Gwadar’s economy and livelihood, experts call for immediate action to protect the city’s future.
