PM, COAS review flood relief operations

COAS briefs PM of Army’s full cooperation in relief process n PM directs provision of helicopters for relief operations
n With 9 more deaths, Balochistan death toll climbs to 225 n Army, PAF relief operations continue n 728 dead so far
in recent rains and floods, says NDMA report.

ISLAMABAD   -   Prime Minister Muham­mad Shehabaz Shar­if on Sunday discussed with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chair­man National Disaster Management Authori­ty (NDMA) Lt. General Akhtar Nawaz the flood situation, and rescue, re­lief and rehabilitation op­erations in the flood af­fected areas. During the telephonic conversation, the prime minister and the chief of army staff discussed the situation of flood affectees and re­lief and rehabilitation op­erations in the flood-hit areas, especially in Sindh province. The prime minister stressed upon acceleration of the res­cue, relief and rehabili­tation efforts, PM Office Media Wing said in a press re­lease. The army chief apprised the prime minister of the army’s full cooperation in the rescue and relief operations in Sindh province. The prime minister di­rected for provision of helicop­ters in the province as the road and bridges had been damaged in the province. He observed that helicopters would be help­ful in the rescue and relief op­erations since the linking roads between Sindh and Balochistan provinces had been eroded.

He also appreciated the coop­eration and spirit of the Paki­stan Army in the rescue and re­lief operations.

General Bajwa also informed that he had issued special direc­tion to the Commander South­ern Command over the relief ac­tivities in Balochistan.

The prime minister direct­ed the relevant authorities of Benazir Income Support Pro­gramme to immediately dis­tribute supporting amount among the flood affectees of Sindh province.

Chairman NDMA apprised the prime minister of the latest sit­uation of rainfall and floods in Sindh and also about the coop­eration extended during the on­going rescue and relief opera­tions in the two provinces and the measures taken so far.

Meanwhile, torrential rains and flash floods continue to wreak havoc in Balochistan amid the fourth spell of mon­soon, with nine more people killed in rain-related incidents on Sunday, taking the provin­cial death toll to 225 since June 1, said PDMA.

Balochistan government on Sunday announced to close the educational institutes for one week.

According to a handout issued by the Department of Educa­tion, in view of the convenience and safety of parents and stu­dents, due to heavy rains, all public and private educational institutions across the province will be closed for a week from August 22 to August 27.

Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan in collabo­ration with the civil adminis­tration were carrying out re­lief and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of Ba­lochistan.

Due to heavy rains in Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar Lasbela, Kohlu, Sui, Naseerabad, Hub, Oth­al and other areas of Baloch­istan, low-lying areas were submerged in water during the last 24 hours.

“On the special directives of the Chief of Army Staff Gener­al Qamar Javed Bajwa, The Pa­kistan Army and FC Baloch­istan in coordination with civil administration continuing the rescue and relief operations in the calamity-hit districts of Balochistan,” a handout issued here by ISPR said.

Mani Shaheedian and sur­rounding areas near Dera Mu­rad Jamali were affected due to cracks in the pit feeder canal at 3 places.

“With the efforts of the Irri­gation Department and the Pa­kistan Army, all the cracks have been filled.

“More than 60 families have been rescued and shifted to the relief camp in Jhal Magsi, Khuz­dar and Nasirabad districts,” the handout further said.

“Prepared food, tents and ra­tions are being provided to the families at the relief camp.

Free medical camps are also being organized by the Pakistan Army and FC in the affected ar­eas, in which free medical aid and medicines are also being provided to the flood victims.”

“The statements noted that the civil administration and Pa­kistan Army are also working on repairing roads and bridg­es for the speedy restoration of transportation.”

“Pakistan Army and FC are continuing to provide full sup­port to the civil administra­tion by utilizing all available resources for the rescue and relief of the flood-affected peo­ple, it maintained.

Also, Pakistan Air Force con­tinued to provide humanitar­ian assistance and disaster relief support to the people stranded in flash floods affect­ed areas of South Punjab, Ba­lochistan and Sindh.

The relief efforts were going on in the areas of Nurwah, Ma­dadpur, Kot Magsi, Mauripur, Sohbatpur, Habib Kot, Fatehpur, Sadiq Pul, Fazilpur and Hajipur, a PAF news release said.

On the special instructions of Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Za­heer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, emer­gency response teams of PAF were working round the clock to provide rations to people trapped in their homes.

During the operation hun­dreds of flood affectees had been evacuated to safer places.

Additionally, all available re­sources were being utilized to provide treatment and medi­cine to the flood affectees at the field medical camps established by the PAF.

The PAF has always remained at the forefront in extending hu­manitarian assistance during natural calamities.

The relief operation in South Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh areas is a practical manifesta­tion of PAF’s resolve to extend all out support to fellow coun­trymen in the hour of need.

Most of the hill torrents orig­inated from Koh-e-Suleman range have become ferocious after heavy spell of monsoon rains in the region, the Flood Control Room stated on Sunday.

Kaha Sultan nullah roaring with flood stream of 40,905 cu­secs, while another flood flow of 72,600 cusecs is arriving from Chhachhar Pass, Flood Control Room said in a statement.

Another hill torrent from Kala Baga Khosar releasing a stream of 15,000 cusecs floodwater, while Nullah Suri South carry­ing another 4,000 cusecs water flow, Nullah Suri North 2,100 cusecs and Patok torrent is re­leasing 900 cusecs of floodwa­ter, according to the Flood Con­trol Room.

Moreover, Zangi nullah also carrying 2,700 cusecs of flood stream, officials said.

The hill torrents raging with heavy flood flow could inflict heavy losses to the nearby set­tlements, officials have appre­hended.

According to officials hill tor­rents originated from Suleman Mountain Range following re­cent heavy spell of monsoon rains were the ferocious most and affecting over 100,000 peo­ple, besides damaging homes and crops in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, the two districts sandwitched between hill tor­rents from mountains in the west and river Indus in the east.

According to reports, the wa­ter from Indus River did not touch the alarming levels as it did in 2010 floods, the hill torrents from Koh-e-Suleman did the most damage this year, leaving behind a trail of home­lessness and material losses like livestock, crops and valu­ables in homes. The floodwa­ter swept away full or parts of many mud houses, cattle, and crops besides damaging trans­portation and communication infrastructure.

Officials said that, exces­sive monsoon rains over Koh-e-Suleman has triggered water flow through 13 hill torrents in DG Khan and Rajanpur districts that has played havoc with the life and property

Separately, NDMA in a report till August 20, said 728 peo­ple lost their lives due to re­cent rains and floods across the country The National Di­saster Management Authori­ty (NDMA) has released details of the loss of lives and property due to rains. Among those who died the most were men, whose number was 309, the NDMA re­port said.

Majority of the people who died were from Balochistan, whose number was 207, the re­port added.

At the same time, the number of people killed due to recent rains in Sindh has reached 177, whereas, the number of people killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was recorded at 149.

Moreover, at least 151 peo­ple lost their lives in Punjab, nine in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 34 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Collectively, as many as 309 men, 156 women and 263 chil­dren have lost their lives across the country due to recent rains and floods.

Whereas, the total number of people who were injured across the country from June 14 to Au­gust 20 was recorded at 1,291.

Majority of people who were injured in rain and flood relat­ed incidents belonged to Sindh, whose number was 701.

Besides, 300 people were in­jured due to rains in Punjab, 81 in Balochistan, 186 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 19 in AJK.

Apart from the human loss, as many as 31,047 houses were completely destroyed while 85,724 houses were damaged across the country in rains and floods.

At least 18 bridges in Ba­lochistan, 52 in GB, 45 in Sindh and seven in Khyber Pa­khtunkhwa were damaged in the recent rains.

More than 503,000 cattle heads were lost across the coun­try, whereas, 2866.9km roads in the country were damaged.

The shops were also not spared by the torrential rains and flash floods, as 17 shops were damaged in AJK while 32 shops were damaged in Sindh.

As many as 103 districts across the country have been affected by the recent rains and floods. Among the affected dis­tricts, four are in Balochistan and as many in GB. Communi­cation roads are blocked in Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, three children, in­cluding two brothers and a sis­ter, were killed after the roof of their house collapsed due to rain in Garello Town, Larkana.

The deceased were identi­fied as 13-year-old Kashif Shah, nine-year-old Ehtisham Shah and seven-year-old Bisma.

The locals removed the debris and shifted the bodies of the three children to the hospital