Talking to APP spokesman NDMA Ahmad Kamal said that the authority has completed last phase of relief operations in flood hit areas on April 15 and now working on the early recovery phase.

He informed that the first phase of relief was completed on January 31, in which the operation was completed in majority areas besides four districts of Sindh and one district of Punjab.

Explaining the details of coming monsoon season he said that all the provincial departments of disaster management were asked to fill the breaches at river banks.

"The work has been completed in all the areas except Sindh in which it would be ended soon", he informed.

Ahmed Kamal said that all the provincial departments of disaster management, Gilgit, FATA and AJK were asked to work on a precautionary plan for the next monsoon to address any untoward situation which would be finalized till May 15 to 20.

He added that unfortunately Pakistan did not have any mechanism of medium to long term forecasting so it is not possible to predict ratio of rainfall in coming monsoon season.

"With the passage of time Meteorological department needs to upgrade its equipment so that prediction of weather changes can be monitored well before time", the spokesman said.

He further informed that in early recovery phase of flood affectees, US $1.9 bln was pledged for 397 projects and 65 percent of the amount of ensured.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011