Water level receding to normal in Punjab rivers, says PDMA DG
Irfan Kathia says Alipur, Jalalpur Pirwala no longer threatened by floods: Death toll from floods in Punjab has risen to 101
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) DG Irfan Ali Kathia said on Saturday that Alipur and Jalalpur Pirwala were no longer threatened by floods and water levels at Head Sulemanki and Islampur were now normal, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a press conference at the Commissioner’s Office in Bahawalpur, he said that the water level at Head Panjnad, which had once reached 700,000 cusecs, had dropped by 70,000 cusecs to 80,000 cusecs.
The DG further said that water levels would drop further in the Bahawalpur division in the next 24 hours.
Kathia admitted that there should have been a forced evacuation in Multan before the floods struck. “The evacuation of people at Jalapur Pirwala was unprecedented,” he added.
He informed that the death toll from floods in Punjab had risen to 101.
The DG disclosed it was for the first time in history that there were floods in all rivers of the province at the same time. “Presently, 4,447 villages in 28 districts of the province are under water,” he explained.
He said that all possible assistance was being provided to the flood victims. “As many as 83,810 affected people have been accommodated in the relief camps set up across the province,” Kathia said, adding that a record over 2.5 million people were rescued, which was unprecedented in the history of the province.
He went on to say that so far over two million cattle had also been shifted to safe locations. “Presently, five helicopters are hovering over the Multan, Rahim Yar Khan region,” he informed.