August 14, 2013 - Deadly Monsoon Floods in Pakistan

Deadly Monsoon Floods in Pakistan

After a slow July, Pakistan’s monsoon severely intensified in early August. Rains triggered flash floods from northern Pakistan to the southern city of Karachi, leaving 58 people dead, according to the Government of Pakistan.

The clouds cleared on August 5, 2013, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired the this false-color image. The false-color image is made from near-infrared, shortwave-infrared, and red light. In this type of image, water is black or dark blue. Sediment-laden water or muddy ground is pale blue. Clouds are turquoise; plant-covered land is green; and bare earth is tan-pink.

Rolling over this image reveals a second MODIS false-color image captured on July 28, 2013, shows conditions before the most recent rains. The contrast reveals extensive flooding on the Kurram and Tochi River systems, which pour a cloud of sediment into the Indus River. The Kurram system is the northwest most system, the Tochi River lies south of the Kurram. Where they pour into the Indus, the water turns milky blue. Widespread floods also color the land east of the Indus River.

Pakistan’s monsoon typically occurs in July and August. Until the recent outbreak, the monsoon had been weak, with rainfall 55 percent below normal. Weather forecasters expect one or two more intense storms in August.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/5/2013
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC