Disaster preparedness: WB preparing $150m flood resilience project

Will strengthen disaster response, and improve early warning systems

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) is preparing a project worth $150 million for flood resilience in response to the 2014 floods in Pakistan, especially in Punjab.

A WB mission held a high-level meeting at Planning and Development Department of Punjab and discussed the project for flood resilience.

“The project is being prepared on an emergency basis as the World Bank places great importance on increasing disaster resilience and minimising the impact of floods in the country,” WB acting Country Director Reynold Duncan said.

The Bank’s mission leader Haris Khan briefed the meeting that the project would create resilience through a combination of policy level and institutional measures as well as improvement of flood mitigation infrastructure in collaboration with the irrigation department.

He said the project would also seek to reduce the financial risk to the government of Punjab posed by floods. As part of the project, the WB would also strengthen disaster preparedness and response, and improve flood forecasting and early warning systems.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various departments including planning and development, irrigation, PDMA, health and education.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2015.