LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) rescued people in 34 villages of south Punjab in view of the floods in the River Indus on Friday.

The villagers were flooded in Mianwali, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.

Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasted rain-wind / thundershower in Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Punjab districts on Saturday.

Heavy falls may also occur at a few places during the period.

Meanwhile, rain wind-thunderstorms occurred at isolated places in some districts of Punjab. The weather remained dry in Kashmir and all other districts of Punjab province.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said that 24 boats and 78 rescue workers are engaged in rescue activities.

He said 36 relief camps were set up in flood affected areas and 930 people were transferred to safe places in time.

He said 1,572 people were provided treatment facilities in 33 medical campuses in the flood affected areas and 757 cattle have been shifted from flooded areas to safe places while 42,714 animals have been vaccinated.

He said no loss of life or property was reported due to the timely response of the PDMA and the administration.

He added 785 houses and 49,212 acres were affected by the flood water and the flood situation is expected to persist in the Indus River for the next few days.Meanwhile, Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed chaired a meeting to review the flood situation in rivers and the monsoon rains. DG Kathia, Secretary Irrigation, and other officials attended the meeting.

The PDMA director general briefed the meeting on the situation of rains and floods in 13 districts and said 151 villages in Punjab have been affected by recent rains and floods.

Mr Javed said committees of the irrigation department were formed for construction in flood-affected areas.

He said an NOC has been made mandatory for construction within a 10-kilometer area of riverbanks, barrages, and protective embankments.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024