PM directs utilising all-out resources for people’s protection from cyclone Biparjoy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Sindh government, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other relevant organisations to utilise all-out resources to ensure people’s protection keeping in view the cyclone Biparjoy, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The prime minister, who chaired a meeting to review the preparedness ahead of the possible impact of the Biparjoy cyclone, asked the Sindh government, NDMA and other organisations to ensure the establishment of mobile hospitals in coastal areas and provide adequate emergency medical assistance there.

PM Shehbaz said in view of the storm, special arrangement of clean drinking water and food should be made at the camps of displaced persons.

The prime minister instructed Power Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan to ensure his presence in the districts of southern Sindh until the effects of the cyclone were over, to monitor the 24-hour power transmission system in the coastal areas.

PM Shehbaz said that after the cyclone, the possible damage to the power transmission system should be repaired immediately.

He also set up a committee to deal with the emergency situation arising in view of the cyclone Biparjoy. To be headed by Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, the committee would comprise Power Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan, Food Security Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, representatives of Sindh and Balochistan governments, Meteorological Department and NIH.

The prime minister instructed the committee for constant consultation to deal with the situation arising from the cyclone and keep the people aware of any possible emergency. Complete evacuation of people from coastal areas should be ensured besides providing relief materials to the people of the areas likely to be affected.

“All the institutions will collectively deal with the possible situation arising from the cyclone Biparjoy cyclone,” he resolved.

The meeting was briefed on the route of the cyclone and the possible collision with the coastal areas.

It was told that according to the current situation, the storm is likely to hit Keti Bandar on June 15 and was predicted to end completely within three days. Winds are blowing at an average speed of 140-150 km per hour.

The meeting was further informed that 90 percent of 50,000 people from 9,000 households have been relocated from the coastal areas.

The displaced people are being accommodated in government buildings and temporary camps where Pakistan Army, NDMA, provincial government and district administration were providing food, tents, mosquito nets and clean drinking water.

The meeting was told that all the rescue and relief organizations in the possibly affected coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan were on high alert. Apart from this, the fishermen who were already in the sea were also being evacuated besides disallowing others from going to the sea.

The meeting was also briefed about the arrangements to deal with the situation arising in Karachi due to the change in the route of the storm.

The meeting was told that as rains were expected in Karachi, the NDMA, provincial bodies, district administration and all related organisations were ready to deal with any emergency situation.