Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), rescue agencies and provincial administrations to remain on a high alert in light of the recent heavy rains that have increased the risk of flooding through Pakistan.
In a press release from the Prime Minister’s office on Monday, Sharif stressed the importance of immediate precautionary measures, especially in the areas bordering the Industry river and other major waterways, where floods are very likely.
“The NDMA must coordinate closely with the provincial disaster management authorities (PDMA) to ensure a quick and coordinated response,” said Sharif. It also ordered the NDMA to improve collaboration with provincial governments and relevant institutions to improve preparation and response efforts.
The first first underlined the need to raise awareness of the public and urged all provincial administrations to pursue robust information campaigns to hold citizens informed of the evolution of the situation. “Public awareness is essential to prevent victims and damage,” he added.
Sharif also asked Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to provide precise updates in real time via all the communication channels available, with a particular emphasis on the potential risks posed by the exploitation of the Tarbela dam spillway, which could exacerbate the downstream floods.
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He also called the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) to classify vulnerable areas as high, means or low risks of flooding and clearly communicate these risks to the public via the media. “Gas warnings are crucial to minimize the impact of potential floods,” he said.
Sharif concluded by ordering that all provincial administrations are fully prepared to react quickly and effectively to any emergency.
This occurs while parts of the country reinforce the risks of flooding following recent precipitation, the authorities working tirelessly to alleviate the threat posed by swollen rivers and other bodies of water.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has published an alert on a national scale, warning that the very strong monsoon monsoon rains can cause sudden floods, landslides and urban floods in several districts in the coming days.
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Flash Flooding is expected in local nulllahs and streams of Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Hill Torrents of DG Khan, Northeast Punjab, Several Districts of Balochistan, Including Barkhan, Kohlu, Musa Khel, Dera Bugti, Loralai, Bolan, Zhob, Ziarat, Kalat, Khuzdar, Awaran and Lasbela.
PMD said that landslides and mud shifts can cause road closings in vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Murriyat and Cashmire.
Urban floods can occur in low areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Siackot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera and Peshawar, warned the meteorological department.
