ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has launched a comprehensive awareness campaign to minimize the human and material losses, keeping in view the forecast of 15 to 20 percent more rains this year by Pakistan Meteorological Department.
Chairman NDMA Major General Asghar Nawaz taking to media here said that the authority organized a conference of stakeholders in the first week of June and briefed the participants on steps needed to be taken to cope with the impacts of rains.
Major General Asghar Nawaz said besides spreading awareness through mass media, the NDMA regularly publishes updates on its website for public awareness.
Chairman NDMA said monsoon comes every year in Pakistan and people of low lying areas are usually aware of the dangers of floods. However, the campaign started by NDMA is part of further efforts to sensitize the public.
Responding to a question, he said provincial and district disaster management authorities work in collaboration under the guidance of NDMA.
He said, “We guide these authorities on how to seek help of army, law enforcing agencies, rescue operations and the identification of stranded people.”
He said these authorities can inform NDMA of their specific needs and requisitions which are met by the authority.
To a question he said (NDMA) has attained the capability to support over 300,000 marooned people through its well-stocked regional ware houses in any kind of disaster.
NDMA has the capability to immediately start relief activities in natural calamities including floods, landslides, earthquakes, drought, tsuami, cyclone, glacier lake outburst flood, avalanches and tropical sea storms.
NDRR policy is aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness and response capabilities, improving the early warning system, building capacities of disaster management practitioners at all levels and that of communities as well as strengthening resilience of infrastructures.
Under policy parameters, the Authority has also formulated National Disaster Management Plan to identify 10 priority areas, 41 strategies and 122 projects in the domain of institutional development, capacity building, awareness, early warning system, human resource development, hazard and risk assessment.
Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) had been assigned to examine vulnerability of different parts of the provinces to different disasters and specify prevention and mitigation.dd
