950808

Diplomats visit flood hit areas

51 killed, over a

million villages

inundated so far

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Diplomats from 14 Muslim and other countries and two international bodies visited flood-affected areas in districts Narowal and Sialkot on Tuesday to ascertain the damages caused by the rivers ravages in the Punjab.

They visited washed away villages of Dera Afghanan and Dihawala Malah in district Narowal and flood hit village Panj grain in district Sialkot and met the affected people in the relief camps expressing sympathies with them in their hour of calamity and misery.

Diplomats included ambassadors of France and Republic of Korea, High Commissioner of Malaysia, Charge de Affaires, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, China, Japan, Germany, Britain, Norway, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

They arrived in Lahore on Tuesday morning by a special plane, were given a briefing about flood situation in the province by provincial Relief Commissioner Tariq Saeed Haroon and Commissioner Gujranwala division Khalid Latif. Afterwards, who accompanied the diplomats when they left on a visit to the flood affected areas by two helicopters. They returned to Lahore after couple of hours and then flew back to Islamabad, in the afternoon.

Earlier in the briefing by the relief commissioner they were told in the VIP lounge that large number of 647,596 persons in 2,609 villages in 20 districts of the Punjab have so far been affected by the floods in Indus, Chenab, Ravi and Jhelum.

These districts included Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur in Dera Ghazi Khan division, Multan and Khanewal in Multan division, Faisalabad and Jhang in Faisalabad division, Rahim Yar Khan in Bahawalpur division, Lahore and Sheikhupura in Lahore division, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin in Gujranwala division and Sargodha, Bhakkar, Khushab and Mianwali in Sargodha division.

So far, 51 persons have died in eleven districts of Lahore (3), Gujranwala (1), Gujrat (6), Sialkot (9), Narowal (8), Hafizabad (3), Khushab (2), Dera Ghazi Khan (8), Muzaffargarh (3), Multan (6) and Khanewal (2).

The relief commissioner said that 1,920,741 acres including 808,566 acres under crops had been affected by the floods. Some cotton crop in Rahimyar Khan was damaged also but it was unlikely to affect overall production estimates.

In addition, 3,856 Pucca and 314 Kacha houses had been demolished and 115,166 Pucca and 1,394 Kacha houses had been damaged and 74 cattlehead lost.

He said that these losses figures are based on preliminary estimates which will be revised and firmed up after a detailed survey in the province after the water has receded.

He said that the survey to ascertain losses to life, property and livestock has commenced in areas where water level has receded and would be carried out in other areas when the situation improve there.

he said that extensive damage had been caused to roads and other public infrastructure facilities like school and basic health units, buildings, electric and telephone poles etc and huge resources would be required for their rehabilitation.

He said that 264 relief camps had been established in the flood affected areas where presently 20,000 affectees were taking shelter and being provided with essential articles.

About the relief measures, Tariq Saeed Haroon said that out of total 28 million available from Zakat Fund and provided by the Federal and provincial governments, over Rs 14 million had been distributed and already and more funds would be provided as and when a demand from respective district administration is received.

He pointedly stated that timely warnings about the rivers flood position had helped in minimising the losses and mitigating the sufferings of the people.

About flood and rain prospects, he said the low pressure which was causing rain in Lahore and other parts of the province had moved onto the catchment areas and another low was developing in Bay of Bengal and nothing could be said about its behaviour as yet it was just a beginning of monsoon season.