ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP): Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. General Inam Haider Malik on Thursday chaired the Flood Management Conference to address the potential threat of very high flows from eastern rivers and nullahs and discuss measures being taken to mitigate the impact of possible floods.
The conference was attended by key stakeholders including PDMA Punjab, PMD, FFC, PCIW, PID, IRSA, Wapda (Mangla Dam), Engineers Directorate, Pak Army and officials of Rescue 1122, said a news release.
The chairman NDMA emphasized the importance of being prepared and taking proactive measures to anticipate and manage any flooding situations.
He instructed the concerned authorities to conduct 3rd National Simulation Exercise on Monsoon-23 aiming to simulate realistic scenarios and enable Disaster Management (DM) responders to practice their roles and improve their readiness to deal with flood-related challenges effectively.
He said that simulation exercises would help identify gaps in the preparedness and equip the authority better to handle any crises.
NEOC provided an update of potential impacts including very high to exceptionally high flooding in River Chenab, high to very high flooding in nullahs of River Ravi and Chenab due to convergence of westerly wave, a strong incursion of monsoon currents causing heavy rainfalls as per PMD report.
It was informed that NEOC was continuously monitoring and sharing information with all stakeholders and public through international weather models-based projections along with input of PMD.
The PMD provided a comprehensive briefing on real-time data monitoring of eastern rivers, highlighting that 8-10th July would be a critical period for upper catchment areas of Rivers Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, and partially Jhelum.
It was briefed that PMD was sharing 3-hourly updates on river/ nullah flows and reservoir levels to facilitate coordinated water management/ regulation.
PDMA Punjab and Rescue 1122 apprised the forum on identification of hotspots and deployment of their personnel.
The departments assured that all necessary arrangements had been made and that they were on high alert to respond to any emergency situations that might arise.
The chairman NDMA instructed FFC to maintain close coordination with Punjab Irrigation Department and PDMA Punjab for regulation of inflows for effective management of water resources during monsoon period.
PDMA Punjab is directed to launch an extensive awareness campaign, focusing on the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas.
Additionally, PDMA Punjab is asked to pre-place machinery and manpower to ensure swift response and effective management in the wake of a flood.
The chairman NDMA directed PCIW and Engineer Directorate to collect information on the eastern rivers and reservoirs and ensure timely sharing of this vital information with all concerned stakeholders to facilitate better planning and decision-making.
The public had been advised to stay informed and follow local authorities’ guidance during monsoon and rain emergencies, he added.
