Rains, flood threats: UNOPS official, DG PDMA Sindh review arrangements

KARACHI: United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Country Manager Jennifer Ankrom on Monday visited the Provincial Rain and Flood Emergency Monitoring Cell, where she met Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, Salman Shah. During the visit, the officials reviewed the arrangements made in view of recent rains and potential flood threats in the province.

Syed Salman Shah, Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority briefed the UNOPS official that, on the special instructions of Rehabilitation Minister Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman, the PDMA and district administrations had been placed on high alert. He said all available resources were being mobilized to deal with any emergency situation.

The DG explained that an integrated disaster management system had been developed in light of experiences from past natural calamities. The system, he said, ensured immediate coordination between departments and a defined response mechanism. He added that the Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) was being upgraded to modern standards, with survey records of all union councils of Sindh now available in the database.

Jennifer Ankrom appreciated PDMA’s measures but stressed the need for greater use of technology to address current challenges. She suggested that artificial intelligence models be adopted to improve forecasting of rains and floods. She noted that satellite imagery could help assess the latest situation in affected areas, thereby expediting relief operations. She also assured full cooperation of UNOPS with PDMA based on post-disaster data and ground realities to help the Sindh government formulate disaster management strategies in line with global standards.

The UNOPS country manager lauded the Sindh government and PDMA’s preparedness, stating that the measures taken for the protection of lives and property were commendable. She added that the province’s initiatives could serve as a positive model at the international level. Syed Salman Shah, meanwhile, reaffirmed that the provincial government and related agencies were working under a joint strategy not only to tackle the current situation but also to minimize the impact of possible future disasters.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025