‘It is water everywhere, just like a sea’: PM Shehbaz visits flood-affected areas

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif visited Dera Ismail Khan, KP to review ongoing restoration and rehabilitation work in flood-affected areas today (Wednesday).

During the visit, while talking to the media, PM Shehbaz said, “You wouldn’t believe the scale of destruction there. There is water everywhere as far as you can see. It is just like a sea.”

The premier emphasised the need for a “sustainable system” to cope with the challenges of climate change.

He said trillions are needed for relief and rehabilitation activities post floods. “We will need trillions of rupees to cope with this calamity”, he observed.

“The country is grappling with an unprecedented situation, witnessing floods that have resulted in the loss of lives, infrastructure and crops,” he said, adding that it was time to “rise above politics and demonstrate the spirit of service and welfare.”

The Premier announced that a sum provided by a philanthropist for flood relief would be used for installing 100 prefabricated houses in DI Khan.

Moreover, the premier announced that under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), every flood-hit household would be given Rs25,000 and Rs1 million would be given in compensation to the relatives of the deceased.

According to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),18 more people died from the flood in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,343. Eight children were among the dead in the last 24 hours.

The government has said 33 million people have been affected. The floods were brought by record monsoon rains and glacier melt in Pakistan’s northern mountains. A total of 116 districts have been adversely affected.

World Health Organisation (WHO) said more than 6.4 million people need humanitarian support in the flooded areas.