Khawaja Asif stresses need to update flood radars, increase dam capacities

Defence minister says floods - which left 270,000 injured - submerged 1,053 villages and destroyed 191 houses

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif revealed on Tuesday that 128 had lost their lives due to the floods in Punjab.

During his address to the joint session of Parliament, Asif said, according to government estimates, the floods had left 270,000 injured, submerged 1,053 villages, and completely destroyed 191 houses.

“Around 1,200 houses were partially damaged and crops – mainly rice - on 325,000 acres of land were destroyed,” he said, as he informed the house about the destruction caused by the floods.

Speaking about the loss of livestock, Asif said that 772 cattle drowned in the water while 30,000 were vaccinated after they were rescued from the flood-hit areas.

The defence minister told Parliament that 217 relief camps were set up for the rehabilitation of the disaster-affected people. “More than 2,000 displaced people are currently living in these camps,” he added.

Asif further said that NDMA and Pakistan Army, who are leading the relief work, have so far evacuated 18,227 people, while the total number of people directly affected by the floods is 436,000.

“Around 485 health camps were established to provide medical help to those affected by the floods,” he said.

The minister informed other parliamentarians that there is a need to update flood radars, increase dam capacities and take action against encroachment in urban areas to better deal with the calamity.

Lamenting the reduction in number of water outflows in Sindh from 300 to a mere dozen now, Asif, however, said this year the floods will meet the sea without any destruction as the flow of water is expected to decrease.