PM sets up flood emergency cell as death toll climbs in K-P

Express Tribune

a day ago

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to scale up relief and rescue operations across flood-hit regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as the death toll from the latest spell of torrential rains and landslides climbed to 189 in the past 24 hours.
A special emergency cell has also been established at the Prime Minister's Office to ensure 24/7 coordination of relief efforts and monitor the evolving situation.
Chairing an emergency meeting to review the damage caused by monsoon rains and cloudbursts in northern Pakistan, the prime minister ordered the NDMA to maintain close coordination with provincial governments, particularly K-P, to expedite rescue operations and the delivery of essential supplies.
'The protection of human lives is the top priority,' PM Shehbaz said, instructing authorities to ensure the swift dispatch of relief goods — including tents, food, and medicines — by road on a priority basis. He also directed the evacuation of stranded individuals, including tourists, from affected areas to safer locations without delay.
Read More: Torrential rains claim 189 lives in K-P, five die in rescue helicopter crash
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik briefed the meeting on the extent of damage and ongoing response operations. The prime minister was informed that multiple regions had been hit by cloudbursts and flash floods, severely impacting infrastructure and displacing scores of residents.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the NDMA's command and control centre is operating around the clock and that early warning systems continue to provide real-time updates to K-P, AJK, and other provincial authorities.
'The prime minister has visited the NDMA headquarters three times during the current monsoon spell to personally monitor the situation,' he said, adding that all federal institutions were fully mobilised in the affected areas.
Later, the prime minister spoke with K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives due to floods and lightning. He assured both officials of full federal support, including the immediate provision of essential supplies. 'In this difficult hour, our sympathies and support are with the affected families,' he said.
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Since the onset of the monsoon in late June, Pakistan has recorded over 350 deaths due to rains, landslides, and flooding, with K-P among the hardest-hit regions. Officials fear further casualties as the Met Office forecasts continued rainfall across the province until at least August 21.
Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Experts warn that extreme weather events — including flash floods, heatwaves, and droughts — are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming.
Climate scientists say such events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global climate change. Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to its impacts, with communities across the country now facing increasingly severe and unpredictable weather patterns.