Recent flooding in Pakistan is leaving many to speculate whether or not the incident plays a piece in a very much larger puzzle depicting climate change. Evidence of its destruction might be seen in one country, however, manifests its origins of destruction far away.

Despite contrasting opinions on the cause of climate change, scientists are in agreement, however, over its existence and moreover how it will manifest physically, let alone do so adversely. Greater weather extremes in Pakistan have been documented over a large period thus far raising the flags of climate change.

For 160 million Pakistanis, droughts and floods alike have become regular. With respect to current flooding, rainfall of about 16 inches in mountainous areas in the far north of Pakistan and adjoining parts of Afghanistan between July 28 and 29 triggered a torrent of water down the Indus and Kabul Rivers. It was a record amount of rain in that period to be precise.

In fact, Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, director-general of the Pakistan Meteorological Department is on record with Reuters stating, “The only explanation can be the link to climate change. Because that area very rarely receives monsoon rains,” while discussing the risk of the monsoon belt shifting as well as reasons for the changes in the intensity of monsoons in the region. However, scientists also say Pakistan could also suffer in the long term from declining amounts of melt water from glaciers feeding the Indus River, which is in fact the nation’s life-blood. Conversely, Indian experts point to evidence of rising temperatures in the Himalayas and more intense rainfall events, perhaps helping to change larger weather patterns.

“No one can say for sure that this is all related to climate change, but yes there is circumstantial evidence that over (the last) 20 years very heavy rainfall events have drastically increased,” Bishwajit Mukhopadhyay, deputy director-general of meteorology at the India Meteorological Department, told Reuters.

Scientists are warning countries to start adapting to climate change specifically citing the likelihood of increased extreme flooding and droughts. Early warning signs and better food storage are of prime concern. Pakistani food expert Abid Suleri, executive director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, said the country would need to work on seed varieties to adapt to climate change while simultaneously acknowledging the events surrounding him; the consequences of a changing climate.