A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively combating religious militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. The estimated 20 million people affected by flooding in Pakistan is more than the estimated number of people affected by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the 2005 tsunami in the Indian Ocean littoral region, and the 2005 South Asia earthquake combined. Some medium and long-term consequences of flooding have been projected. The effects of flooding on the stability of the Pakistani government and its ability to suppress and contain militants within their borders is an issue of concern for the United States and others. Congressional Interest

Congressional interest regarding the 2010 flooding in Pakistan stems from multiple factors, including the U.S. response to the humanitarian needs of flood victims, potential cost of reconstruction after the flood subsides, the composition of aid given by the United States to Pakistan to garner its support for U.S. operations in Afghanistan, the disabling of Taliban inside Pakistan's borders, and the security concerns arising from a weakened Pakistan with a potentially disenfranchised and dissatisfied population. The United States, however, has an opportunity to improve its perception among Pakistanis. Some of those actions include 
Additional U.S. emergency relief funding, equipment, and supplies U.S. efforts to promote contributions and cooperation from other nations for emergency response and reconstruction Actions intended to support the Pakistan economy and trade Debt relief Efforts to promote individual and corporate aid and contributions Measures to promote foreign-direct investment and public-private partnerships

	Context of the 2010 Pakistan Flood

Heavy rains associated with monsoons began around July 22, 2010, and led to flash floods in the northwest and east of Pakistan. The runoff caused the Indus River and its tributaries to breach levees and overflow into floodplains housing both rural and urban populations. Flooding can increase the spread of water-borne diseases when access to clean drinking water is compromised. Earthquakes are instantaneous and cause large numbers of fatalities compared to floods. Potential lessons learned by the international community that could be applied to Pakistan include
Engaging more with civil society, local authorities, and displaced populations for greater understanding of the operating context and sustainable delivery of assistance; Understanding and working with various actors outside the immediate humanitarian context, not only the military, but also the private sector; Engaging better with the government of the affected country and civil society partners; Providing cash for relief and buying locally wherever possible; Creating transitional shelter that can be turned into permanent dwellings, rather than focusing on emergency shelter and neglecting permanent shelter; Starting recovery as soon as possible without negatively affecting the relief effort; and Preparing for land-ownership disputes and not expecting the disaster response to resolve underlying political problems such as corruption, poor governance, underdevelopment, and social inequality. Implications of Flooding on Selected Sectors of Pakistan

The floods are expected to have a long-term negative effect on the development prospects for Pakistan. For example, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank jointly estimate that the floods caused $9.7 billion of damages. That figure includes damage across several sectors, including loss of physical infrastructure and other economic losses. Approximately 80% of people in the flood-affected areas depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Wheat is an example of this issue. The broader short-term economic effects of the flooding are already being felt. Also, as discussed earlier, the World Bank and ADB have estimated $9.7 billion in damages in a preliminary report. Role and Standing of the Pakistani Military

Pakistan's military has always played a key role in the country's governance; the country has been ruled directly by the military for more than half of its existence as an independent state. Since early August, some 60,000 Pakistani army troops were diverted to disaster relief efforts. Some press reports have indicated that the main supply lines for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, which run from the Karachi port north to through Quetta or Islamabad, were significantly disrupted by the flooding. The current flooding in Pakistan is likely to prove the worst flooding disaster in the country's history, as far as the number of citizens affected, and the cumulative damage to the region's economy. One aspect is the humanitarian toll that is likely to emerge from displaced people, disease, food security, and an economic decline. The strategic implications involve U.S. interests in countering Islamic militancy in the region, strengthening democracy in Pakistan, and fighting the war in Afghanistan.
Pakistan experienced a catastrophic natural disaster that has precipitated a humanitarian crisis of major proportions. Widespread flooding affected about 20 million Pakistanis and inundated an area the size of Florida within the country. Congressional interest in the flooding stems from the significant humanitarian and economic implications for the country, and the security implications for U.S. interests in the region. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have estimated that the flooding has caused $9.7 billion in damages. While this figure might still be preliminary, it is almost certain that the negative effects of this crisis will be felt for many years to come.
The floods stemmed from abnormally heavy rains during the monsoon season in July and August, 2010. This led to flooding in the Indus River Basin which traverses Pakistan from north to south. Excess water led the Indus River and its tributaries to breach their levees and inundate adjacent and downstream floodplains. Approximately 2000 people were believed to have been killed by the flooding. One fifth of the country was submerged, and an estimated eight million Pakistanis were displaced from their homes. The number of people affected were significantly greater than several major disasters around the world since 2000. Little clean drinking water was available for many of the people who were affected and remains a problem today. Many of those affected, particularly children, face potential disease outbreaks, particularly diarrhea and cholera. The catastrophic loss of livestock and crop lands and extensive damage to the country's infrastructure are projected to have long-term negative effects on Pakistan's food security and economic performance.
Pakistan is at the center of several crucial U.S. interests, including fighting terrorism and religious militancy, seeking stability in neighboring Afghanistan, and promoting nuclear non-proliferation, among others. The aftermath of the floods can affect broad political and strategic dynamics in Pakistan and the region in a number of ways. The crisis may undermine the already waning legitimacy of the civilian government by demonstrating its ineffectiveness to large numbers of Pakistanis in need of public services, while improving the status of Pakistan's powerful military by the more visible role it played in providing disaster relief. It may also provide militants an opportunity to garner favor with affected communities by giving militants an opportunity to demonstrate that they can provide assistance in areas where the government is absent. The crisis has also diverted attention and resources from other national priorities, at a time when Pakistan remains financially strapped.
U.S. interests are served by a stable Pakistan that can effectively rule all its territory. Any crisis on a scale of the present floods that undermines the Pakistani state's ability to control its territory has the potential to undermine U.S. interests. The inability of Pakistan to fully extend its authority into areas along its northwest frontier with Afghanistan has allowed Islamist militants hostile to the United States to find refuge. The flooding diverted Pakistani resources and focus away from its struggle with Islamist militants. This has the potential to indirectly affect U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan by taking pressure off militants on the Pakistani side of the international frontier. On a positive note, the crisis presents the United States with an opportunity to improve its poor image among Pakistanis through provision of humanitarian assistance. Congress will play an important role in overseeing such assistance in the near term, and broad foreign assistance strategies for rebuilding infrastructure and other development goals in the medium and long run. For more information on environmental issues and Pakistan, see CRS Report R41358, Security and the Environment in Pakistan. For broader discussion of U.S.-Pakistan relations, see CRS Report R41307, Pakistan: Key Current Issues and Developments.