ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The recent heavy rains and cloudbursts across the country have caused massive loss of life and property.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, DG ISPR Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, and Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik held an important joint press conference on this situation.
Destruction due to a cloudburst
Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, said that severe destruction has been caused by cloudbursts in different areas.
The most damage has been in the mountainous and rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and southern Punjab. According to him, 670 people have been killed so far and more than 1,000 injured, while hundreds of houses, bridges, roads, and crops have been affected.
Preparation for upcoming rains
The Chairman of NDMA said that there is a possibility of more heavy rains at the end of August, for which the NDMA and provincial institutions have completed preparations. Rescue and relief teams are on high alert, while essential supplies have already been delivered to the dangerous areas.
Army relief activities
DG ISPR Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the army’s relief activities are ongoing in the flood-affected areas. Additional military troops have been deployed at the instructions of the Chief of Army Staff to expedite the relief work.
Currently, 8 units of Frontier Corps and Infantry are engaged in relief operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Role of Army Aviation
He said that Army Aviation is also playing a full role. People stranded in remote areas are being evacuated through helicopters, and food, medicines, and other essential items are being provided to the victims.
The government’s commitment
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that the government is utilizing all resources to provide immediate relief to the affected people. He appealed to the public not to listen to rumors and follow the instructions of NDMA, PDMA, and local administration.
Rescue operation and rehabilitation
He further said that 25 thousand people have been rescued so far, while precious lives have been lost due to urban flooding. Malakand, Bisham Road, and N-90 have been opened for traffic. So far, 1200 tents have been delivered to the affected areas. The Minister of Energy will remain in the affected areas till the restoration of the system and uninterrupted power supply is provided to hospitals.
Medical aid and high alert
Attaullah Tarar said that a special team of doctors from PIMS has been sent to the affected areas. After the prediction of more rain, the relevant institutions have been put on high alert. On the instructions of the Prime Minister, the authorities themselves are in the field to restore power, while a unit of the Pakistan Army is also active in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Public Awareness
At the end of the press conference, officials said that updates will be issued daily in the coming days according to the weather conditions, so that the public can stay informed promptly.
