GWADAR, Pakistan — Over the last decade, the understanding of climate change has significantly increased among residents of the coastal city of Gwadar. Once an area with little awareness of climate impacts, Gwadar has been hit by extreme weather events, dramatically reshaping its reality.
In February, relentless rainfall pounded the city for nearly 30 hours, leading to widespread destruction. Roads, bridges, and communication lines were washed away, briefly isolating the town from mainland Pakistan. The damage to homes is severe, reminiscent of a disaster zone, with residents navigating battered streets and dodging deep potholes in place of once-functional asphalt.
Situated in Balochistan—a dry and rugged province in Pakistan’s southwest—Gwadar is home to about 90,000 people. Its location, built on sandy ground and bordered by the Arabian Sea, makes it particularly susceptible to the threats posed by climate change, which the country has already experienced in devastating forms.
Hyrologist Pazeer Ahmed has issued grave warnings about the implications of rising sea levels on the town. He noted, “Many low-lying areas will be partially or completely submerged if trends continue.” Once viewed as an asset for Gwadar’s fishing and tourism sectors, the sea now represents a dire threat to the local population and their livelihoods.
The warming oceans are generating increasingly fierce waves, exacerbated by summer monsoons. With warmer air able to hold more moisture—approximately 7% more per degree Celsius—the likelihood of heavy rain events has risen. This has been confirmed by Abdul Rahim, deputy environment director at the Gwadar Development Authority, who described the transformation of wave patterns and the alarming erosion of coastal areas.
Melting glaciers are another contributor to rising sea levels, further accelerating coastal erosion. Data indicates a significant rise in the sea level near Karachi—almost 8 inches between 1916 and 2016—with projections suggesting an additional half-inch rise by 2040.
Regionally, villages like Pishukan and Ganz have seen significant loss of infrastructure, including mosques and schools, as waves continue to encroach on the land. Popular recreational sites, such as Sunset Park, are now marred by dangerous cliff erosion and debris, leaving beaches devoid of protective structures for miles.
Authorities have attempted to mitigate the situation with seawalls composed of stone and concrete; however, these defenses are limited in their effectiveness against the broader climate crisis. Residents continue to grapple with the challenges posed by rising waters and increasing salinity in their environment.
In the Shado Band neighborhood, former local councillor Qadir Baksh expressed his worries about persistent groundwater intrusion into local properties. Many homes in the area face similar flooding issues, requiring constant pumping to manage the situation.
Officials have noted that uncontrolled construction and land use changes have compounded flooding problems, with traditional drainage pathways being obstructed. Gwadar has emerged as a focal point for a major Chinese-led development strategy aimed at fostering a transport corridor linking Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea, leading to significant investment for infrastructure development.
Despite the influx of funding into Gwadar, a critical issue remains—the lack of a proper sewage and drainage infrastructure. The combination of rising water levels, porous soil, and extreme weather has left the city vulnerable, resulting in stormwater accumulation without viable escape routes.
Baksh lamented the changes in recent weather patterns, stating, “In the past, water would recede within ten days after rainfall. Now, however, it stays indefinitely.” He attributed these challenges to climate change—leading to significant suffering among residents.
The local fishing community is also facing adverse effects, including dwindling catch sizes, the disappearance of native species, and irrevocable alterations to fishing seasons and patterns. Ahmed and Rahim cited rising sea temperatures and environmental stresses as primary causative factors, although illegal fishing and foreign trawlers exacerbate the crisis.
Many locals have been forced to leave their homes due to worsening water shortages, impacting agriculture and leading to the loss of livestock. Farmers across Pakistan are experiencing increasing crop diseases and decreased yields driven by erratic climate patterns, as emphasized by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Ahmed articulated the peculiar difficulty Gwadar faces, stating, “There are heat waves and dust storms, but primarily we deal with both excess water and scarcity. Without intervention, we will ultimately have to relocate.”
