Punjab must clear river pathways to prevent flood disasters: DG PDMA

LAHORE: Director General of the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Irfan Ali Kathia, has stressed that river pathways must be cleared to avoid recurring flood disasters.

“If these passages are not vacated, the same tragedies will continue,” he warned.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Kathia said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had directed authorities to ensure the safety of both people and their livestock. “So far, 317,400 animals have been shifted to safer locations, with arrangements also being made for fodder,” he confirmed.

The DG reported that 20 people have lost their lives in flood-related incidents, with Gujranwala recording the highest number of fatalities.

He added that the Punjab government will provide Rs10 million in compensation to the families of those killed.

Kathia said that heavy rains are still expected in Faisalabad, Sargodha division, Rajanpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan, while urban flooding remains a threat until September 2.

Read more: Floods displace over 1.4 million people in Punjab, meteorologists predict more downpour

He assured that the administration has been placed on high alert and contingency plans have been directed.

Highlighting economic losses, the DG said crops have been badly damaged and a coordinated survey is being initiated to assess losses and provide relief to affected farmers.

He stressed that climate change is a reality and any development projects undertaken without considering it will result in setbacks. “We must clear water pathways; otherwise, the damage will keep repeating itself. The chief minister has given clear orders to vacate them immediately,” he said.

Kathia also pointed out that River Ravi had not seen such high levels of water for 40 years.

“People had been cultivating crops on riverbeds, but both the Ravi and Sutlej waterways have now been inundated. Lahore has just witnessed the largest flood discharge in Ravi since 1988,” he added.