The ocean was once a blessing for the coastal Pakistani city of Gwadar, which relies heavily on fishing and domestic tourism.

Now, after a decade of extreme weather, it’s become an existential threat.

Last February, Gwadar was briefly cut off from the rest of Pakistan amid nearly 30 consecutive hours of rain. Bridges were washed out, houses were destroyed and huge craters appeared in the roads.

The city, which is home to about 90,000 people, is built on sand dunes and bordered by the Arabian Sea on three sides. Its low elevation makes it vulnerable to climate change — which has already impacted Pakistan in catastrophic ways.

“It’s no less than an island nation situation,” warned Gwadar-based hydrologist Pazeer Ahmed.

“Many low-lying areas in the town will be partially or completely submerged if the sea level continues to rise.”

Warming oceans mean bigger and more powerful waves, and those waves get whipped higher by summer monsoon winds. Warmer air holds more moisture — about 7 per cent more per degree Celsius — and that means more big rain events.

“Waves have become more violent due to the rising sea temperatures and eroded beaches,” said Abdul Rahim, deputy environment director at Gwadar Development Authority.

“The tidal actions and patterns have changed. Hundreds of homes have been washed away. It is very alarming…”