Rapid loss of Karachi mangroves heightens flood and erosion threats
Satellite images released by Suparco show that mangrove forests along Karachi’s coast near the Mai Kolachi Bypass have been largely replaced by reclaimed land and urban development, reducing natural coastal protection.
New satellite data from Suparco comparing 2000 and 2025 reveal that the mangrove belts and natural tidal channels along Karachi’s coast near the Mai Kolachi Bypass have been largely converted into reclaimed land and urban plots. The agency said this shift replaces ecosystem-based protection with hard, land-intensive development, diminishing the mangroves’ role in regulating temperature, trapping sediments and storing carbon.
Their loss, according to Suparco, raises surface runoff, alters tidal flows and heightens the likelihood of localized flooding, shoreline erosion and long-term subsidence. Climate policy expert Mohammad Saleem Shaikh stressed that protecting remaining mangroves and tidal creeks is essential for coastal resilience, fisheries and biodiversity, and urged federal and Sindh authorities to enforce environmental rules and conduct thorough impact assessments.
He also advocated for transparent satellite monitoring and community-led restoration using native species. Separate recent imagery shows a notable increase in mangrove planting in the Shah Bandar area of Sujawal, covering about 151 hectares of the study region.
Why it matters
Mangrove loss reduces natural defenses, making Karachi more vulnerable to floods, erosion and climate impacts.
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