CHITRAL, Pakistan: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday arrived in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s northern district of Chitral where around 300,000 people have been affected by the flash floods triggered by torrential rains.
The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak received the prime minister on arrival. The Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Ahmed and the Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed was also accompanying the prime minister.
During his stay in Chitral, the prime minister will visit flood affected areas there. He will be briefed about the flood situation and rescue and relief operation in the flood affected areas.
A number of villages and houses have been washed away by the torrential rains which continue to lash the district for last seven days. The roads, power transmission system and water schemes across the district have also been badly hit by the natural calamity.
NDMA sends two C-130 aircrafts with food packs to Chitral
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) sent two C-130 aircraft with food packs to Chitral on Wednesday for distribution among flood affected people.
The relief goods include tents, blankets, food items and medicines.
A spokesman of the authority said in Islamabad that food packs of 40 kilogram each for 500 families have already been sent to the area through the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The spokesman said that Communication and Works Department as well as Public Health Engineering are being pursued for deployment of heavy machinery for the rehabilitation and restoration of the damaged roads and washed away bridges.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has directed all concerned in the army to make all out efforts to help and extend all possible assistance to the people affected in the flood hit areas in Chitral and elsewhere in the country.
In a statement, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that all Corps Headquarters in their respective areas of responsibility are monitoring the flood situation and all preparations have been made to meet any eventuality arising due to expected floods.
The ISPR said that Field Commanders have been instructed to carryout reconnaissance of the area which could possibly be effected due to expected floods.
