ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for advance alerts for residents of areas vulnerable during the monsoon season, a day after Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that flash floods triggered mudslides in Gilgit-Baltistan, killing seven people.
One of Pakistan’s most popular tourist destinations, GB is home to some of the world’s tallest peaks, glaciers and fast-running streams.
Despite its strategic location as Pakistan’s only land route to China, the region’s limited infrastructure leaves it vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods and landslides, underscoring the need for stronger disaster management measures.
In a meeting with the prime minister, the top NDMA official, Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, gave a briefing on the progress “toward making the early warning system in Gilgit-Baltistan fully operational and enhancing cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change in this regard,” according to a statement released by the PM Office after the interaction.
“The NDMA should further strengthen its coordination with the provinces for assistance and rehabilitation of victims of the recent rains and flooding,” Sharif was quoted as saying during the meeting.
