- NDMA chairman says rain, floods in Punjab, AJK and GB have killed 110 people, injured 148 and destroyed 650 houses
- PM lauds army’s and provincial authorities’ relief efforts and rescue operations
- Directs parliamentarians to visit calamity-hit areas
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the death and destruction caused by rains and floods is a great loss for Pakistan and the government would leave no stone unturned to help those struck by the calamity.
Chairing a meeting at the PM’s House on Saturday to review the rain and flood situation in the country and the resultant damage to life and property, the PM commended the efforts of Pakistan’s armed forces and provincial authorities in conducting relief and rescue operations.
The PM directed ministers and parliamentarians to visit the calamity-hit areas and ensure that the relief activities are carried out smoothly. Issuing directives to open all highways for traffic by Saturday night, the PM ordered prompt evacuation of people and livestock from the calamity-struck areas.
“Governments of Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) should coordinate with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to start damage assessment for speedy rehabilitation of the affectees,” directed Sharif.
RELIEF EFFORTS:
Meanwhile, NDMA Chairman Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem briefed the meeting about the ongoing relief activities and the measures being adopted at district, provincial and national levels to cope with the emergency.
“Lahore and Rawalpindi divisions are experiencing serious urban flooding,” he said, adding that rivers Chenab and Jhelum and nullahs, especially those in Gujranwala and Rawalpindi, are also flooded.
“Flood levels at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad are very high. Flood level in River Jhelum and Mangla reservoir is exceptionally high whereas the flood level at Rasul head-works is at medium level. All the remaining rivers are flowing at normal level,” he said.
The PM was informed that Palandri has received 668 millimeters (mm) of rain, Islamabad 316 mm, Rawalpindi 440 mm, Lahore 350 mm and Sialkot 316 mm over the last 48 hours which resulted in flash floods in AJK and north-eastern parts of Punjab which caused 110 deaths in Punjab, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan whereas 148 people were injured and 650 houses were destroyed.
The NDMA chairman said that the authority has mobilised and positioned its reserve relief stocks in major cities in the flood-affected areas and the state of major relief stocks is satisfactory and is being provided on the request of the governments of Punjab and AJK.
The PM appreciated the efforts of all the departments concerned in restoring light traffic from Muzaffarabad to other parts of the country.
Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, cabinet secretary and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) chairman attended the meeting among others.
