Impact of climate change: not all weather forecasts dependable: NDMA chief

Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has claimed that all the forecasts made by the Met Office and the Authority on the current monsoon season did not meet logical end due to climate change. Chairman NDMA, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadri while addressing a press briefing here on Wednesday said that in July this year, there were 50 percent less rains as compared to the average rainfall. In 2011 70 percent less rains have been observed.
Director Generals of all Provincial Disaster Management Authorities except Punjab were present on the occasion. "It is right to say that we had made forecasts about some specific areas that those areas would experience a heavy rainfall during the current monsoon, but all those forecasts went wrong. The climate change is taking place all over the world and there is no technology so far to make an accurate assessment of what is going to happen", the Chairman added.
"If there is severe rain spells in the urban areas of the country we are afraid that the drainage system of cities would not be able to control that much quantity of water", the Chairman revealed. The Chairman said, "It is for the very first time in the history of Pakistan that all the four provinces have made their contingency plans. These plans have been made to avoid maximum risks during the current monsoon".
The Chairman said that presently there are only 1000 tents available in the country while the total requirement of tents is 0.486 million. "Pakistan is a tent exporting country therefore, we would soon be able to have 0.486 million tens to fulfil our requirements in case of any emergency during the current monsoon.
"The District Disaster Management Authorities (DMAs) have been given complete authority to call for army in case of any emergency even without taking permission from the Federal government", the Chairman disclosed. "During the floods 2011, Sindh was one of the most affected area and fortunately, this year the province has experienced just two rain spells that are controllable", he added.