NDMA finalizes contingency plan for floods

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has finalized contingency plan to cope with floods in any part of the country during the current monsoon season.

Talking to APP, Spokesman NDMA Ahmed Kamal said the authority has finalized the plan, taking all the stake holders on board including Pakistan Meteorological Department, Irrigation Department,Federal Flood Commission and Director Generals of Provincial Disaster Management Authority to minimize the risk of land and life losses.

The recommendations of all the stakeholders were discussed in Pre-Flood Co-ordination meeting held on June 15 and incorporated in the final plan which was presented to the Prime Minister Gilani for approval.

Ahmad Kamal informed that NDMA is following two plans for floods including a plan for worst scenario under which a maximum of six million people can be affected and a likely scenario under which 2.2 million people can be probable victims.

He said that NDMA officials are conducting workshops in different parts of the country to impart trainings for floods preparation and the officials have recently visited Lahore in this regard.

"Currently we are on a visit to South Punjab where NDMA staff would visit 10 districts and next week we would go to Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa", he added.

He informed the authority has stored sufficient food and non-food items are at provinces level to mitigate any untoward situation while the preparations have been completed to ensure provision of necessary items for any unexpected situation or worst scenario.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011