PM, COAS, NDMA chairman discuss flood situation, rescue & relief operations
Staff Reporter- Islamabad
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday discussed the flood situation and relief operations in the country with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt General Akhtar Nawaz.
The PM made a telephonic contact with the COAS and NDMA chairman to discuss the situation of flood affectees and relief and rehabilitation operations in the flood-hit areas, especially in Sindh province.
During a conversation with the COAS, the PM 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 PM 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 passion 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.
PM directed relevant authorities of Benazir Income Support Programme to immediately distribute supporting amounts among the flood affectees of Sindh province.
NDMA chairman apprised PM of the latest situation of rainfall and floods in Sindh and also about the cooperation extended during ongoing rescue and relief operations in two provinces and measures taken so far. Earlier 728 people have died due to recent rains and floods across country, a report of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
NDMA has released the details of the loss of life and property due to rains. Among those who died the most were men, whose number was 309, NDMA report said.
majority of people who died were from Balochistan, whose number was 207, the report added.
At same time, number of people killed due to recent rains in Sindh has reached 177, whereas, 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, 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 human loss, as many as 31,047 houses were completely destroyed while 85,724 houses were damaged across the country in rains and floods.
