LAHORE: After the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a flood warning due to heavy rains in DG Khan Division on August 17 and 18, the Punjab government has started considering the evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas to protect their lives and property.

In this regard Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal chaired an important meeting at his office in the Civil Secretariat on Monday to review the arrangements for dealing with possible flooding due to heavy downpour. The meeting decided to deploy mobile teams of the departments of health, livestock and volunteers of Civil Defense in DG Khan Division.

The chief secretary directed the authorities to immediately identify the areas likely to be hit by hill torrents. He said that arrangements would be made to move people as well as livestock away from unsafe places.

He said that transport and food facilities should be provided to locals moving to safer places and the help of notables of area and prayer leaders (Imam) of mosques should be sought to convince people of the evacuation. He said that the senior member of the board of revenue would supervise the evacuation plan and relief and rescue operation.

The meeting was briefed that about 6000 people were affected by floods in DG Khan, Rajanpura and Jampur on Sunday. Rescue operations were conducted at nine places in DG Khan and four places in Jampur. Tents and food hampers are being provided in the affected areas. The senior member board of revenue, secretaries of irrigation, health, and livestock, director-general of PDMA and officers concerned attended the meeting while the commissioner DG Khan participated through video link.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022