Do we act like humans?

Pakistan nowadays is in a flood situation. Unprecedented torrential rains and massive flooding
are causing a humanitarian crisis, displacement of populations, and a national emergency.
Thousands of people have become homeless and have lost their children, homes, cattle, and
many other things necessary for life. In this current scenario, many people are helping the
affected. The monsoon rainfall continues to affect most of the country, causing floods, flash
floods, and landslides that increase casualties and damage. National authorities and humanitarian
partners are providing help across the most affected areas. This season, damage to thousands of
kilometers of roads and dozens of bridges have hampered access to flood-hit areas. People have
been forced to take shelter on the higher ground wherever they can—on elevated roads and
railway tracks, many accompanied by surviving livestock. Others have sought shelter in camps
run by aid agencies.

On the one hand, there is devastation and danger; on the other hand, we have seen so many
places where people steal things. Some people are busy collecting wood, putting their lives in
danger, and not cooperating with the authorities. We have seen so many events during this recent
flood where people were doing stupid acts, and as a result, nothing came into their hands, and
they lost their lives. Some people are taking advantage of the situation. The question is, is this a
humanitarian act? Instead of helping those affected people, we are stealing their things. Humans
have failed to live with an understanding of nature. This is where we lack disaster ethics, a
developing field that identifies and explores the ethical issues related to disasters. Some had lost
their lives to stupid acts, and some waited for the flood to come and then made themselves safe.
Some areas remained safe, except for a few property damages; no considerable casualties have
been reported because of prevention. Their proactiveness avoided a massive loss. They did
whatever was possible in their power. Some of them fight, but due to mismanagement, they lose.
They were trapped, but no one was there to rescue them. They were swinging between life and
death in the middle of a flood relay, waiting for hours but remaining unrescued.

This middle period of hope for life and the illusion of death was a short period for us, but how
long and complex must it have been for these helpless people? Spectators stood on the shore.
What kind of apocalypse would have been for their heirs? We should beat our heads together and
wait for our turn for such a bitter end……