Lahore, July 15, 2023 (PPI-OT):Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Imran Qureshi has stated that flood relief activities are going on by the PDMA in the districts adjacent to the Sutlej River. The PDMA is closely monitoring the situation from the control room, while the district emergency operation centers and rural reporting centers across the province are on high alert as the government is utilizing all available resources to ensure the safety of human lives.
He mentioned that PDMA has supplied tents, food hampers, flood equipment, and machinery to all districts in preparation for the monsoon season. Rescue and relief operations are currently underway in the districts connected to the Sutlej River, he added. In Kasur district alone, 10 relief camps have been established, with 110 rescuers and 8 ambulances deployed. PDMA has provided 27 boats, 200 life jackets, 27 life rings, 16 wireless sets, and other necessary equipment to aid the rescue teams. As a result of these efforts, 1,218 people have been rescued, and 4,972 individuals have been safely relocated in the Kasur district where 27 animals have also been rescued.
Turning to the arrangements in Okara district, Imran Qureshi reported the establishment of six rescue and relief camps, with 54 rescuers and 2 ambulances deployed. PDMA has provided 12 boats, 52 life rings, and 164 life jackets to assist the rescue teams in Okara. So far, 220 people and 18 animals have been transported to safe areas from the flooded regions, he said. PDMA has ensured that the required equipment and tools for flood situations are readily available in the respective district warehouses. Additionally, the department has developed plans for emergency transportation of further supplies to the affected districts if necessary, he added.
Later, DG PDMA visited the flood-affected areas of Kasur to assess the arrangements personally. Speaking to the media, he shared the latest updates on the flood situation at the Sutlej Talwar post. He mentioned that the floodwater in the Sutlej River has receded by 1 foot compared to the previous night, and the flow has reduced from 114,000 cusecs to 104,000 cusecs at Ganda Singhwala.
He highlighted that a flood relief and rescue operation was initiated on July 9, following the instructions of the Punjab government, and it is still ongoing. The floods have impacted a total of 15 villages along the Sutlej River in Kasur, affecting a population of 18,000. 11,000 people have been safely relocated and ten relief camps, with a capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 people, have been established in Kasur. Adequate provisions, including clean water and cooked food, have been provided to the residents of these camps. Fortunately, there have been no reported deaths in Kasur due to the floods, he said.
DG Imran Qureshi emphasized that over 1,100 officials, including Pak Rangers, police, Rescue 1122, livestock, and health departments, have been deployed to assist and relocate flood victims. All the line departments are actively engaged in the field. He further informed that a second spill in the catchment area of the Sutlej River is expected in three to four days, and there is a 22-hour margin for water to reach the affected areas from the neighboring country. The preparations for this anticipated eventuality have been completed, he concluded.
For more information, contact:
Directorate General Public Relations,
Government of the Punjab
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-9201390-86
Website: www.punjab.gov.pk