ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP): The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has advised the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Punjab, and the departments concerned to ensure prerequisite measures to protect vulnerable populations and assets as River Sutlej was likely to attain a Very High Flood Level.
The NDMA issued a detailed advisory that underscored the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stating River Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala had fallen to a Very High Flood level and continued on a decreasing trend.
However, River Sutlej at Sulemanki was at High Flood in a rising trend and was likely to attain Very High Flood Level; it was also likely to attain High Flood Level on August 22 from 0600 hours onwards at Islam Headworks.
The vulnerable or at-risk districts include Kasur, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalpur, and & Lodhran. It added that hot and humid weather with isolated rain-wind and thundershowers was expected to occur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Dir, Swat, Abbottabad. Malakand, and Galiyat) and in Punjab (Lahore. Sialkot, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Murree).
The NDMA mentioned that hot and humid weather with isolated rain was also expected in Islamabad Capital Territory and the same weather pattern was expected in Balochistan and Sindh.
In Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), dry weather was expected whereas isolated rain was expected in AJK along with dry weather.
The PDMAs were directed to ensure early warning and prompt response in vulnerable areas in light of wind-thundershowers (in areas indicated above). Moreover, the PDMAs should undertake regular public awareness on all media channels and social media to maximize the general public’s knowledge of risks associated with monsoon season; heavy rains, urban flooding, flash flooding, landslides, etc.
The District Administrations were to ensure a contingency traffic plan for areas vulnerable to flooding in urban centers, (as indicated above) catering for prompt de-watering operations in flooded areas.
The PDMA Punjab should ensure timely early warning and evacuation of all at-risk populace living downstream of Ganda Singh Wala, Sulemanki, and Islam on River Sutlej. The PDMA Punjab ensures the provision of medical care and relief items to the displaced populace in camps.
The PDMA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PDMA Punjab, and State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) were to ensure early warning, prompt evacuation, and response in vulnerable low-lying areas downstream of Tarbela and Mangla Dams in case of any emergent water discharges or flooding situation in light of present reservoir levels.
The GBDMA should ensure all necessary measures are being undertaken to mitigate and prepare against glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) incidents.
The Rescue Services, Armed Forces, and leading non-governmental and civil society organizations (NGOs and CSOs respectively) should ensure the availability of personnel and equipment in the indicated areas and be on standby for rapid response.
Meanwhile, with the issuance of timely early warning, advisory and pro-active engagement of all stakeholders by NDMA, coordinated evacuation of vulnerable and at-risk populations from low-lying areas adjacent to River Sutlej was ensured in Districts Kasur, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalpur and Lodhran through Rescue 1122.
According to NDMA, so far the persons evacuated and transported were 238,202 and livestock evacuated 17,334 whereas some 203 boats and 795 rescue personnel were deployed on the ground.
