LAHORE, July 27: Need for the establishment of an effective flood warning and relief system was stressed at a seminar on “Safeguards against flood ravages” here on Wednesday.

None of flood relief officials bothered to attend the seminar, organized by the Sawair Women Organization at the Lahore Press Club, despite invitation.

The speakers said losses were caused because the people were not warned about the flooding of their areas in time. A timely warning could significantly minimize the losses by enabling the people to move to safe places.

They said the people living in the flood-prone areas were required to be educated about precautionary measures for minimising the losses to life and property. They were required to be advised to remain on guard against snakes and other insects. The villagers were required to be advised to avoid tying their animals with electricity poles during the rainy season to protect them against electrocution.

They said the people living in low-lying areas should be advised to move to safe places before the flooding of their areas. Those opting to stay in their houses for any reason should store commodities, medicines and clean water. They should also use sand bags for protecting their houses from flood water and keep wooden planks for swimming out in emergency.

The meeting was addressed by Lahore PPP Women Wing president Sajida Meer, Muttahida Labour Federation provincial president Altaf Baloch, Railway Workers Union secretary general Fazle Wahid and Nazli Javed.

They criticized the flood relief officials for failing to participate in the seminar despite being invited.