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Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said that the current spell of monsoon rains has claimed 77 lives, 37 of which have been in Balochistan, making the province the most affected region of the country.
The minister held a press conference to share the situation of the current monsoon damages across the country where she was flanked by Additional Secretary Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) Jodat Ayaz, and Member Disaster Risk Reduction, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Irdees Mahsud.
Calling the deaths a “national tragedy”, the minister said it was “no small figure” and called on the nation to take matters “seriously”.
The country is currently experiencing monsoon and pre-monsoon rains, however, the minister said that the severity of the spells has been unusual. She added that “this is happening because of climate change and global warming”.
Rehman added that dams were under stress as the country has received 87 per cent more rain than expected. She elaborated that Azad Kashmir received 49 per cent additional rainfall for the month, Balochistan received 274 per cent of the monthly average and Sindh received 262 per cent more rainfall since the first monsoon spell began on June 28.
She further informed the media that this year, there had been 16 incidents of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), when the annual average is five instances of GLOF and added that heatwaves this year had caused devastating forest fires.
“Pakistan is the sixth-most affected country in the world.”
The minister added that while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the government to pay special attention to climate change, “the country needs long-term planning”.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman is addressing a press conference at PID on July 06, 2022. PHOTO: APP
If provinces require assistance from the federal government during the monsoon season, she said, then they will have to “carry out assessments of the aid they require”.
Rehman further said provinces posting advisories and “taking institutional warnings seriously can reduce deaths”.
“Karachi did not see the number of storms as it was expected to,” said the minister while referring to the port city.
Sherry said there were 39 deaths reported in Balochistan due to monsoon rains whereas the season was now shifting from the North to Balochistan.
Quetta city faced urban flooding followed by Turbat and Pasni which also got impacted by heavy monsoon rains, she informed.
She warned that the monsoon pattern was prevailing in the south which would head towards Punjab.
The NDMA has formed a monsoon contingency plan and held workshop training for the provincial and federal agencies, she said, adding, “during this above normal rainfall relief activities have been done by PDMAs and NDMA.”
The district administrations would have to take stock of their requirements for relief efforts and would have to coordinate through relevant forums to federal government for any assistance during monsoon heavy spell, she said.
“The provinces will have to take their preparedness seriously. Like Karachi would have faced a storm but the situation subsided after scattered spell of monsoon and also the rivers are not in any flood like situation which is a good sign,” the Minister said.
She underscored that it was the sixth day of heavy monsoon rains and the authorities concerned would have to remain vigilant. “MoCC has received update of four deaths in Ghizer due to flashflood in the area”.
The minister requested the media to flash the weather alerts and updates so that it could help save lives in the vulnerable areas.
“The government is active and the public should also play their role as well to protect themselves and their livestock during inclement weather especially those living in low lying areas.”
She highlighted that the recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) report showed that Pakistan would have the highest losses as percentage of GDP at 9.2 per cent which is the highest in the region.
“The GHG emissions of the region are impacting South Asia. Pakistan hosts highest number of glaciers after polar region that are at risk due to global warming,” she said.
“MoCC is active in legislation and coordination and has approved the first National Hazardous Waste Management Policy. The Ministry is not giving NOCs further for importing toxic waste and it has written letters to the consulates of the countries to apprise them on illegal dumping of hazardous waste to Pakistan from their side,” she added.
“Pakistan can recycle only 30% of its waste which is a challenge that demands national response to enhance capacity and management skills of the industry associated to it,” she told the media.
“We will start 300 trees’ plantation with the Prime Minister after monsoon to start nature conservation. We will have to take very difficult decisions that will impact industry to ensure climate resilience of the country,” she added.
Water scarcity, she said would revive after the monsoon season which was a principle issue of Pakistan as water conservation was a must for its future.
“Living Indus project will be launched and to be tabled before the federal cabinet and the provinces to clean, protect and restore the River Indus,” she said while responding to media queries.
Earlier in June, the minister had directed the concerned departments to take all necessary preemptive precautionary measures and to pursue a coordinated strategy to cope with the possible disastrous impact of monsoon rains.