ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have launched an assessment of the destruction caused by severe flooding, triggered by glacial melting in the country’s northern regions and intense monsoon rains.
A committee, established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the damage, revealed that the initial estimates will be finalised within the next ten days.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who held a meeting on assessment efforts, emphasised the necessity of provincial coordination to ensure a thorough evaluation.
The floods, triggered by relentless monsoon rains and glacial melt, have so far killed up to 1000 people across Pakistan, according to officials. Crops, livestock, and entire communities have been swept away, with Punjab, Sindh, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa among the worst-hit.
Catastrophic floods
Iqbal explained that the preliminary damage estimates would be concluded in ten days, with verified data being shared shortly after. He added that, similar to the catastrophic floods of 2022, a detailed post-disaster needs assessment would be conducted, involving international organisations.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that in view of the recent floods and rains, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed all provinces and relevant authorities to assess the damage across the country in detail.
In addition to human and financial losses, the destruction of crops and loss of livestock should also be considered in the damage assessment, the statement read.
Assistance will be sought from SUPARCO, the national space agency of Pakistan, for satellite-based damage assessment.
“Immediate steps must be taken to protect crops from various diseases post-flood. Special measures should be taken for cultivating appropriate crops in flood-affected areas,” the statement further read.
Floodwaters recede
Displaced families began returning home as floodwaters significantly receded across much of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, where swollen rivers displaced more than 2.5 million people and killed about 100 during weeks of monsoon deluges, according to the AP.
Floodwater levels are decreasing at Panjnad, where the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers all converge before flowing into the Indus.
Rescue and relief operations in some districts are ongoing, officials said.
