Sherry Rehman says current monsoon rains have claimed 77 lives
ISLAMABAD, July 06 (SABAH): Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman has said that the current monsoon rains have claimed 77 lives. She said that these deaths have been reported from 14th June till now.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Sherry Rehman said this indeed is a national tragedy. She said the most number of 39 deaths have been reported in Balochistan.
The climate change minister termed the deaths a “national tragedy” as hundreds of homes have been destroyed and rescue operations in remote areas are being hampered due to heavy rains.
The Minister for Climate Change said National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has prepared national monsoon contingency plan. She said the provinces, districts and the people have to stay alert to reduce causalities as a result of monsoon rains.
“We need a comprehensive plan to avert these [deaths and devastation] as all of this destruction is taking place due to climate change,” the federal minister said. She said that environment crisis is going on in Pakistan. She said that Pakistan is at 5th or 6th position in the world regarding most affected country from environment change. She said that ongoing monsoon is 87 percent more then expected in whole Pakistan.
Sherry Rehman said that according to a United Nations Report, Pakistan’s losses due to environmental change is 9.2 percent of GDP. She said that provinces, districts and PDMAs and NDMA should remain vigilant during the ongoing monsoon rains. Sherry Rehman said that we have to make many polices regarding environmental change and also have to take many difficult decisions, in which industries are also impacted. She said that Pakistan’s principle climate change issue will be shortage of water. She said that Pakistan will become water scare in 2025.
Sherry Rehman said that it good thing that Imran Khan is meeting foreign ambassadors and positing pictures of the meetings, adding that if we engage it is illegitimate and if Imran Khan engages it is legitimate, what is this. She said that Imran Khan started the politics of division, adding that who started leaks. She said Imran Khan wants NRO or exemption, adding that one day Imran Khan seeks apology from institutions and on the other day again speaks against them. She said that the attitude of Imran Khan with his opponents is in front of everyone as he did not spare anyone. She said that whatever Imran Khan has done he should now face and whatever he sowed should reap now.
She said that the Pakistani masses are facing economic problems due to Imran Khan, adding that Imran Khan has doubled the Pakistani loans taken by all the previous governments. She said that Pakistan was going towards crash like a plane, adding that we have to decide that if country will remain safe then we will remain. She said that current government has saved the country from default. She said that if Pakistan will be secure then we will too be secure. Sherry Rehman said that she is searching the memo waved by Imran Khan. She said that Imran Khan should say whatever he wants to say and who is stopping Imran Khan from saying anything. She said that whether Imran Khan has been arrested. She said that whatever Pakistan is facing is due to Imran Khan, adding that she could tell a lot about her own ministry but did not want suspension of ongoing work.
She said that there is no planning in her ministry, adding that she will make long term planning in her ministry. She said that Imran Khan said let us play with the memo, adding that Imran Khan has played with the country. She said that Imran Khan boasts but is unable to gather people. She said that Imran Khan annoyed IMF and due this strict budget of IMF has come. She said that Imran Khan will have to face the music as no one is wearing bangles.
The rains have not stopped and will continue till July 8, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), which has also warned of water logging in low-lying areas.
Although it did not rain heavily in Karachi till almost the end of Wednesday afternoon, the metropolis is expected to receive 40-50mm of rain under the influence of a strong weather system that has developed over the sea.
The meteorological department said that low air pressure is present in the south of Sindh which is getting moisture from the North Arabian Sea.
It added that intermittent moderate rain-thunderstorms — isolated heavy falls at sometimes — were expected in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, and Tando Allayar till July 8.
The department also forecast rains till the same date in Tando Muhammad Khan, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Dadu, Noshero Feroz, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Sukkur districts, and Karachi.
“These rains may cause water logging in low-lying areas in Karachi Division, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Dadu, Qambar Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Sukkur Districts,” the meteorological department said.
Following the deaths of dozens of people, the Balochistan government declared Quetta a disaster-struck area and imposed a state of emergency in the provincial capital.
Due to torrential rains, the rivers and canals of the province overflowed. As of Wednesday morning, more than 20 were injured when the walls and roofs of dozens of houses collapsed and people drowned as well due to flash floods.
According to the Balochistan Disaster Management Authority, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Pishin and Harnai districts have been the most affected by the rains, whereas flood conditions have also been reported in Muslim Bagh, Qamaruddin, and Khushnoob.
There were flash floods overnight in several villages of Khushnoob, and a link bridge was swept away, making it difficult for rescue workers to reach the affected people.
According to the assistant commissioner, the wards and emergency rooms of Muslim Bagh Civil Hospital were flooded, while rain in the hilly areas of Muslim Bagh damaged more than 100 houses.
Moreover, the link roads of Kan Mehtarzai, Loi Band, and Ragha Sultanzai were washed away in the floods.
The Chaman administration has said that more than 70 houses were affected by the floods in Badizai and Torkhel areas, while the Harnai-Punjab-Loralai Highway has been closed for traffic due to torrential rains.
According to Levies officials, part of the Valin Dam in the Afghan border area of Qamaruddin broke, causing water to enter low-lying areas and flood 11 homes. The affectees have been shifted to safer places.
The Levies officials said most of the access roads to remote areas of Qila Saifullah, Zhob, and Harnai have been affected and rescue operations hampered in several areas.