Monsoon contingency plan underway
A flood victim family take refuge with their belongings as floodwater rises, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sohbatpur. PHOTO: REUTERS
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) under the supervision of the relief, rehabilitation & settlement department is finalizing the Monsoon Contingency Plan 2023 in consultation with all stakeholders while flood early warning system has already been developed.
The aim of the plan is to identify potential monsoon hazards, vulnerabilities, risks, and resource mapping to minimize disaster risks and ensure a coordinated response in a timely manner.
The stakeholders including the district administration, provincial and federal line departments, and humanitarian partners have started the process of consultation.
The plan takes into account lessons learned from previous incidents and aims to reduce the impact of disasters, protecting the lives and livelihoods of the people in the province.
The contingency plan aims at mitigating the potential impact of floods by incorporating lessons learned from the 2022 floods.
It includes improved early warning systems, streamlined evacuation procedures, and better communication channels.
Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of community engagement.
A final orientation meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Secretary Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement Department, Abdul Basit on Wednesday.
Representatives from district administration, provincial and federal line departments and humanitarian partners participated in this meeting and provided feedback to make a comprehensive plan.
On this occasion the secretary said that the relief department is responsible for formulating policies, strategies, and guidelines for relief, rehabilitation, and emergency activities in the province.
PDMA, Rescue 1122, and Civil Defense are the attached formations of the RR&S Department to implement the mandate of disaster risk management activities in the province.
The department will ensure the strengthening of the ADC relief position. Rescue teams will have pre-visits to the vulnerable areas for community awareness, early warning systems and to identify the vulnerable areas prior to the disaster.
PDMA Director-General Janat Gul Afridi said that the PDMA has assigned roles and responsibilities for each department in the monsoon plan and developed tools for data collection that have been shared with all stakeholders.
The process of contingency planning started in mid-March 2023 and the contingency plan is expected to be developed by the end of May.
Tools for data collection are being developed and shared with all stakeholders, including information regarding district/sector-specific hazards and vulnerability profiles, hazard impact, damages, compensation paid, resource mapping, need assessment and coordination.
Director DRM Muhammad Amin stated that natural hazards and subsequent disasters cause significant losses to people’s lives and livelihoods.
K-P faced substantial financial and human losses due to floods last year which were caused by abnormal monsoon conditions.
The monsoon in 2022 began with an above-normal forecast, and the situation became similar to that of the 2010 floods.
Subsequently, 17 districts were declared calamity-hit due to floods in 2022, resulting in significant loss of life and property.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2023.