Disaster Management: Flood reporting system reviewed

LAHORE: Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Umer Saif reviewed on Tuesday the capacity and efficiency of a flood monitoring system developed by the board. Saif said the system would help save lives and properties in flood-prone areas of the province. “The dashboard is updated with a disaster-related bulletin on hourly basis during the flood season,” he said. He said the system highlighted developments at headworks, barrages, river and canal banks, roads, spurs, dikes and bridges during both normal and emergency situations. An inundation map helps the government take measures for evacuation, he said. Quoting a report of the World Health Organisation, Saif said 346 people had died, 620 injured and 55,200 houses were destroyed in flash floods last year. “A similar situation may arise every time a flood hits Pakistan if we don’t improve our flood reporting system.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2015.