Flowing southward through Pakistan and emptying into the Arabian Sea, the Indus River has supported agriculture for millennia. Fed by glaciers in the Himalaya and Karakoram mountain ranges—and by Asian monsoon rains—the river experiences substantial fluctuations every year.

Did the Indus Valley have flooding?

Experts think the fluctuations of the Indus had a major impact on Mohenjo Daro. It whipped back and forth across the plains, causing floods that destroyed the agricultural base of the city. Trade and the economy were disrupted. Hundred of villages may have been destroyed by floods or by rivers carving new channels.

When did the Indus River usually flood?

Flooding along the Indus River began in mid- to late July following unusually heavy monsoonal rain in northern Pakistan and was sustained in downstream areas through the end of 2010 (Fig. 1).