On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the immediate upgrading and complete activation of the early alert system of the meteorological department in federal efforts to mitigate the impact of the Mosson grave weather, Radio Pakistan reported.
Chair a high-level meeting on the situation of the floods in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), the Prime Minister said that recent rains have led to tragic incidents across the country, in particular AJK and GB, causing significant human and financial losses.
“The federal government is with the governments, the administrations and the inhabitants of AJK and GB during this difficult period,” he said, announcing that he would soon visit the areas struck by GB’s floods to express his solidarity. He added that a federal rescue set would also be announced to compensate for the “as much as possible” damage.
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The Prime Minister asked all the federal institutions concerned to coordinate closely with local administrations to assess the damage and accelerate rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
He stressed that “the prevention of additional human and material loss must remain absolute priority”. He also ordered the immediate restoration of communication infrastructure, in particular the roads, damaged by floods.
It is relevant to mention that the GB government has declared 37 areas affected by floods as zones affected by calamity and imposed an emergency to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, the president of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the LT Gen Inam Haider, Malik informed the meeting on the national impact of the monsoon season and the upcoming weather forecasts for the region.
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According to the chief of the NDMA, 295 people have so far lost their lives and more than 700 others have been injured. More than 1,600 houses have been completely destroyed, while 376 livestock deaths were also reported.
He warned that rivers and streams underwent high pressure due to continuous precipitation. Low level floods are planned in Tarbela, Chashma, Taunsa and Kalabagh, while the average level floods are probably in Marala and Guddu on the Chenab river.
Lieutenant-General Malik also warned that the monsoon season should intensify towards the end of the month. “The NDMA undertakes complete preparations to ensure that effective preventive and rescue measures are in place,” he told Reunion.
