Pak Defence Minister Calls Floods A ‘Blessing’: “Store Water In Tubs”
sif also suggested Pakistan should build small dams that can be completed quickly, rather than waiting 10-15 years for mega projects. “We are letting water go down the drain. We must store it,” he said.
Pakistan Floods
Over 2 million people have been impacted by record-breaking flooding in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari. Per Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) data, from June 26 to August 31, as many as 854 Pakistanis have died due to floods, while over 1,100 have been injured.
Authorities warned that rising water from the River Chenab is likely to reach Multan district in Punjab on Tuesday, merging with inflows from the River Ravi. Meanwhile, the surging water level at the River Panjnad in Punjab is expected to reach its peak on September 5, while water from the River Sutlej continues to advance towards barrages, including Suleimanki and Head Islam.
Officials cautioned that two more days of monsoon rains predicted across Punjab could disrupt relief operations and further raise the water levels.
The United Nations has warned that the flooding of farmland and the destruction of ready-to-reap crops across Pakistan have triggered concerns of a food crisis and inflation in the country.
