Sharif promises small dams and dykes to prevent floods

Islamabad - Around 1.2 million people affected by recent floods; 170 killed.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the government would build small dams and dykes to prevent floods in future.
Addressing flood-affected people in Isakhel on Saturday, the prime minister lamented the loss of lives and property during the flood. He, however, said that fortunately the floods this year have not been as devastating as in the past.
Sharif announced the federal government's contribution of Rs1.30 billion for a project to harness hill torrents which caused a lot of damage in the area.
Another Rs200 million would be spent on reconstruction and rehabilitation in the flood affected areas of Isakhel.
"The China Pakistan Economic Corridor project is a message of prosperity for residents of Mianwali," the prime minister said, adding that the government will make all necessary efforts to rehabilitate the flood victims.
The prime minister said that development of backward areas was the top priority of his government.
Nawaz Sharif was briefed by local officials about the damage caused by recent floods and relief activities going on in Isakhel and other areas.
Sharif announced Rs300 million for rehabilitation work in Isakhel and Rs200 million in grants for water supply to the area.
The prime minister was also apprised about the damage caused to the District Headquarters Hospital in Isakhel due to torrential rains.
Meanwhile, more than 1.2 million people were affected, while some 3,093 villages and 8,658 houses were damaged due to floods in various areas of the country, a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) spokesman said here. The recent floods killed 170 people, while 122 persons sustained injuries due to flood-related incidents, he said.
According to the NDMA spokesman, as many as 3,093 villages have been affected in floods, of which 2,278 are situated in Sindh, 512 in Punjab, 17 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 286 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
About 449,460 persons have been affected by floods in Punjab, 625,641 in Sindh and 136,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Out of 8,658 flood damaged houses, 3,439 houses have been destroyed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 3,153 in Punjab 798 in Balochistan, 321 in Azad Kashmir, 812 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 162 houses have been damaged in Fata.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said ordered government officials to carry out a survey of damage caused by recent flood across the province besides speeding up relief activities in the flood-hit areas of Southern Punjab.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said that flood affected people would be rehabilitated on a priority basis while three meals daily was being provided to them in their relief camps.
The chief minister further said that directions have also been issued for immediate restoration of road infrastructure in the flood-affected areas.
news@khaleejtimes.com
(With inputs from Online)

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