Flood Management: NDMA to hold flood prep workshops

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is conducting workshops in different parts of the country as part of a flood preparation programme. Spokesperson NDMA Ahmed Kamal told the APP that all stakeholders, including the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the irrigation department, the Federal Flood Commission and all four provincial disaster management authorities were taken on board to constitute a plan in order to minimise losses in case floods hit the country again, and avoid a repeat of the devastation of 2010. Kamal said that NDMA is following two flood management plans, one for a worst case scenario under which a maximum of six million people can be affected and the other for a more likely scenario under which 2.2 million people can be probable victims. The pre-flood coordination meeting was held on June 15 to incorporate a final plan which was presented to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for approval.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2011.