Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) and Relief Commissioner Punjab Nabeel Javed visited the Control Room of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority here on Saturday to assess the monitoring of the potential flood situation. PDMA Director General Imran Qureshi and other officials briefed the visiting official about preparations to address the recent rainfall and the potential risk of floods. He highlighted that more rainfall was expected in various cities of Punjab till Sunday, and currently water flow in rivers was within normal limits. He cautioned that in the event of water release by India, there is a possibility of floods in the rivulets, connected to Ravi and Chenab rivers. Additionally, due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, watercourses may also face the risk of flooding.
The DG emphasised that if the water flow reaches 600,000 cusecs, 62 locations in the Gujranwala division may be affected by floods. Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed stressed the importance of effective monitoring from the Provincial Control Room and reiterated the need to constantly update line departments.
He emphasised the vigilance required in monitoring the flow of water in rivers and canals and issued instructions to deputy commissioners and others across the province, emphasising the need to ensure proper drainage of water in the field during rainfall. He urged them to be present in the field and utilise all available resources. Additionally, districts prone to hill torrents were instructed to make necessary arrangements and ensure timely response in emergencies.Adequate equipment for flood management has been provided. The relief commissioner directed all districts to finalise arrangements for establishing relief camps, while the health, livestock and other departments should complete their preparations for the same.
Rural reporting centers, including District Emergency Operation Centers, have been put on high alert. He concluded by stating that PDMA and other departments are capable of effectively dealing with emergencies.
