In 2010 when the waters came rushing down the rivers and killed or displaced thousands of people, the torrential rains that accompanied the floods blighted crops, livestock and infrastructure. The story repeated itself in 2011, unleashing a disaster that overwhelmed large parts of the country. According to the ICRC, the floods submerged nearly 100,000 square kilometers. Nearly 20 million people were displaced and the damage came to Rs 855 billion. The immediate step taken by the government had been transporting the victims to relief camps and a cash disbursement scheme through which Rs 40,000 was to be doled out to each family through the Watan card in two phases. However, the follow up steps foundered and nearly 13 districts in lower Sindh are still in ruins. Typically, the crime of neglect did not come without the intrusion of ‘politics’. Sindh irrigation officials have reported that many elected representatives are not permitting drainage near their lands. Areas in the Badin, Mirpurkhas and Tharparkar districts are still flooded. According to a report prepared by the Accountability Commission on Floods, over 1.20 million women and 2.40 million children have no shelter. Thanks to the lack of accountability, if the calamity brought poverty to many, it proved a windfall for others. NGOs, local as well as international, have failed to explain what happened to all the contributions they received for relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims. Many celebrities like Imran Khan and former President Pervaiz Musharraf, under the banner of heavyweight media houses, collected billions for the purpose. These billions remain unaccounted for. The Watan card scheme too has attracted many complaints of delays and injustice to the worst sufferers. The 2012 monsoon is round the corner. The metrological department has warned that the rains may be severer this year. The irrigation departments are uncertain of being prepared to handle any fresh deluge. The international donors have been dragging their feet because of concerns about transparency and accountability of funds use, both by the government and NGOs. The UN is struggling to convince donors to provide $ 840 million for the rehabilitation of 7.2 million flood affectees. So far only the EU has announced a further 20 million euros in aid. Amidst all this, our government appears to be in deep slumber. Before fresh floods this year wipe out what remains of the flood-devastated areas of the country, the government’s disaster management regime had better come out of its Rip Van Winkle stupor and gear up to look after the existing flood victims plus any others who may be freshly affected, revisit the management and drainage of flood waters, and ensure the damaged and intact infrastructure is braced for any new contingency. *