ISLAMABAD: The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) on Monday declared recent flooding to be much worse in comparison to the floods that wreaked havoc in 2010.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal presided a meeting to assess the situation of floods across the country during which the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and FFC briefed him about progress in relief and rescue work.
When briefing the ministers, the FFC stated that recent floods ravaging Pakistan have had a severe impact across the country when compared with those in 2010.
During the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal said that rain forecasts and accurate assessment of disasters could be helpful in saving lives.
“Public relation departments of institutions should be proactive. They should ensure a strategy to deal with fake news and fabricated reports causing chaos,” the minister said while addressing the members of the meeting.
Iqbal further added that there is need to devise an effective strategy to curb diseases spreading in the wake of floods such as malaria, diarrhea, hepatitis, and dengue.
The minister also directed to ensure the restoration of railway tracks damaged due to floods and has also asked mobile operators to resume services in in impacted areas on an urgent basis.
Flood devastations across Pakistan
Since June 14, flooding across the country has impacted over 5.7 million people with death toll reaching 1,061.
Injured affectees account for 1,575, while the number of people residing in camps has touched 498,442. So far, 51,275 people have been rescued.
The catastrophe has killed 727,144 animals, 992,871 homes have been damaged across provinces.
The government and Pakistan Army, as well as welfare initiatives, NGOs and humanitarian agencies at the local, national and international levels are engaged in relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit victims in the country.
