NDMA conducts National Monsoon Coordination Conference with key stakeholders

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 14 (DNA) — Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik has presided National Monsoon Coordination Conference and outlined discussion areas for the conference. The conference was aimed to foster coordination and review monsoon preparedness measures among all stakeholders.

Chairman Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and representatives of Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCCC), Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations (MoHSR), provincial, state and Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs, SDMA and GBDMA respectively), Emergency services, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), National Highways Authority (NHA), Armed Forces, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICT), Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF), National Humanitarian Network (NHN), Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Emergency Response Agencies and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and WHH Representatives attended the conference, a news release said issued here on Wednesday.

The Chairman underscored the significance of preparedness by learning from the experiences of Floods 2022, timely training of responders and reviewing stock positions for monsoon contingencies.

He instructed to issue tangible advisories and guidelines for general public, humanitarian organizations and line departments. He noted that proactive measures were essential in mitigating disaster impact and called for tangible actions before disaster strikes.

The PMD briefed on weather outlook for next three months and predicted that there was a possibility of extreme weather events in the summer of 2023, which could lead to riverine floods, flash flooding, landslides, and urban flooding. Farmers should be prepared for these events and plan accordingly.

The chairman IRSA updated on position of water reservoirs and informed that 2.33 million acre feet (MAF) water being maintained as of June 14. The PDMAs, GBDMA, and SDMA presented details of public awareness campaigns and mock exercises for monsoon contingencies.

The Chairman NDMA directed Provincial Authorities to coordinate with local NGOs and humanitarian organizations to maximize outreach to local communities and alignment of their resources according to PMD’s weather projections. — DNA