Abnormal monsoon torrential rains caused heaviest floods in country’s history: Sherry Rehman

ISLAMABAD, August 26 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Friday said the abnormal monsoon torrential rains caused the heaviest floods in the country’s history that submerged many parts of the southern region.

She was addressing the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change held under the chair of MNA Nuzhat Pathan. Sherry said the situation was bad as rains ha not been taking any breaks with up to 1,100 millimeters rains in many flood-hit areas, adding, “30 districts of Sindh have been submerged and this committee should take notice of that.”

The minister underlined that it was a natural disaster but the mother nature was brought to this level after unbridled anthropogenic activities. She mentioned that the communication link with Balochistan had also ended, adding, “Our helicopters are reaching the affected areas but they are coming back due to unfavourable weather conditions.”

There were many people still trapped in the affected areas and the government had no idea about where to draw the accumulated water, Sherry said.

Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Asif Haider Shah also briefed the committee on the mandate of the ministry in the prevailing scenario and presented his suggestions to the forum.