NFRCC directs civil administration to accelerate flood relief efforts

Forum informed of plan to mitigate water-born diseases in flood-hit regions, infrastructure rehabilitation

ISLAMABAD:

Deputy Chairman of the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday requested the civil administration of all federating units to accelerate the relief efforts in flood-affected areas.

While chairing a session of the NFRCC, Iqbal directed officials to focus on the rehabilitation of flood victims and requested them to ensure that the affectees return to their normal daily life.

The session of the flood response centre was co-chaired by national coordinator NFRCC Major General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal.

Discussing relief efforts, the minister of communication and railway informed the forum regarding the infrastructure and railway rehabilitation plan as well as the latest meteorological and flood situation.

Read Massive relief operation under way as flood death toll rises

The forum was also informed of the interim damage assessment by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and the minister of state for finance. 

CEO Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Asim Rauf apprised the NFRCC of plans to mitigate water-borne diseases and mechanisms for water purification in the flood-hit regions of Sindh and Balochistan.

Death toll crosses 1,300

According to NFRCC, the death toll from the devastating floods has gone up to 1,343. The total number of injured reached 12,720 after 17 more were reported injured.

More than 33 million people in Pakistan have been affected by the floods brought on by record monsoon rains amplified by climate change.

Read Flood relief fails to reach remote areas

Calamity-hit districts

The flood response centre has declared 80 districts declared as ‘calamity-hit’ including 31 districts of Balochistan, six in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), 17 in K-P, three in Punjab and 23 in Sindh, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) remained normal.

Moreover, it maintained that 33,046,329 people have been affected by flash floods in Pakistan – 9,182,616 in Balochistan, 51,500 in G-B, 4,350,490 in K-P, 4,844,253 in Punjab, 14,563,770 in Sindh and 53,700 in AJK.