Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the President of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and federal climate ministers to join the provinces with the provinces in order to develop a complete disaster management plan on the basis of the lessons learned from devastating and clouds of this year.
The Prime Minister visited the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) headquarters, where he was informed of the country’s monsoon situation, efforts to response to disasters and the growing intensity of weather conditions.
The Prime Minister congratulated the efforts of the NDMA and praised the role of modern technology and human resources qualified for authority.
He said: “NDMA always provides an encouraging environment, and it is because of its modern infrastructure and its very competent team. This is my second visit here, and I am happy to see dedication.”
The Prime Minister has highlighted recent clouds and heavy showers in the regions of Chakwal, Lahore, Islamabad and Hilly, recognizing the seriousness of weather conditions.
The Prime Minister appreciated the provincial governments for their response, in particular Punjab to chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, for their effective manipulation of disasters and their coordination with NDMA and PDMAS, resulting in relatively fewer losses.
The Prime Minister promised his full support from the PM office in the purchase of necessary disasters to the necessary disasters and stressed the importance of federal-provincial cooperation to strengthen human resources, capacity building and equipment for rescue and rescue operations.
During the briefing, the president and chief executive officer of the NDMA, General Inam Haider Malik, informed the Prime Minister that the intensity of the monsoon of this year is 60 to 70% higher than last year, and on average 65% more than expected throughout the region. Traditionally limited to eight to nine spells, the current monsoon season has already seen two to three additional spells, he added.
So far, he has said that 178 lives had been lost and around 500 people injured due to rain -related incidents. While last year’s projections had indicated the increase in impacts in northern Punjab, AJK, Islamabad and Upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), this year, the brunt has moved to lower and higher Punjab, Islamabad and AJK, with the trend that should persist for the next 3 to 4 weeks.
