The ancient archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro is now in danger of being destroyed in flood-devastated Pakistan, where an unprecedented monsoon season has claimed more than 1,300 lives and left millions homeless.
Pakistan's Monsoon Rains Threaten 4,500-Year-Old UNESCO World Heritage Site
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The ruins of Mohenjo-daro -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in southern Sindh Province, near the Indus river -- are considered among the best preserved urban settlements in South Asia. They were discovered in 1922 and, to this day, mystery surrounds the disappearance of their civilization, which coincided with those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
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Once the center of a powerful civilization, Mohenjo-daro was one of the world's earliest cities -- a Bronze Age metropolis boasting flush toilets and water and waste systems to rival modern standards.
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Some 5,000 years later, archaeologists believe the ruins could unlock the secrets of the Indus Valley people, who flourished around 3,000 B.C. in what is now India and Pakistan before disappearing.
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The recent flooding has not directly hit Mohenjo-daro, but the record-breaking rains have inflicted damage on the ruins, said Ahsan Abbasi, the site’s curator.
"Several big walls which were built nearly 5,000 years ago have collapsed because of the monsoon rains," Abbasi said.
"Several big walls which were built nearly 5,000 years ago have collapsed because of the monsoon rains," Abbasi said.
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The site’s landmark "Buddhist stupa," a large hemispherical structure associated with worship, meditation, and burial, remains intact, Abbasi said. But the downpours have damaged some outer walls and also larger walls separating individual rooms or chambers.
Repair work under the supervision of archaeologists has started.
Repair work under the supervision of archaeologists has started.
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Though the floods have touched all of Pakistan, Sindh Province has been among the worst hit. On September 5, army engineers made a second cut into an embankment at Lake Manchar, Pakistan’s largest freshwater lake, to release rising waters in the hope of saving the nearby city of Sehwan from major flooding.
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Water from the lake has already inundated dozens of nearby villages, forcing hundreds of families to flee their homes. Pakistan has received nearly 190 percent more rain than the 30-year average in July and August, with Sindh getting 466 percent more rain than the average.
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The flooded Indus river along the Sukkur Barrage in Sukkur, Sindh Province, on August 31.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on September 7 that parts of the country seemed "like a sea" after visiting some of the flood-hit areas, where the death toll climbed above 1,300.
"You wouldn't believe the scale of destruction there," Sharif told reporters. "It is water everywhere as far as you could see. It is just like a sea."
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on September 7 that parts of the country seemed "like a sea" after visiting some of the flood-hit areas, where the death toll climbed above 1,300.
"You wouldn't believe the scale of destruction there," Sharif told reporters. "It is water everywhere as far as you could see. It is just like a sea."
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Many experts attribute the abnormally high monsoon rains to climate change. Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the world to stop “sleepwalking” through the crisis. He plans to visit flood-hit areas of Pakistan on September 9.
According to Pakistani officials, Guterres will travel to Sindh, but it is unclear whether he will visit the archaeological site.
According to Pakistani officials, Guterres will travel to Sindh, but it is unclear whether he will visit the archaeological site.
