PESHAWAR: Provincial Disaster Management Authority has declared 11 district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the ‘most vulnerable’ to floods in its Monsoon Contingency Plan 2024 unveiled on Monday.

The 11 districts declared as prone to high floods include Upper and Lower Chitral, Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir, Tank and Peshawar.

The PMDA plan aimed at minimising disaster risks and facilitating a coordinated and timely response, according to a statement issued here.

Additionally, 14 other districts, including Malakand, Torghar, Lower and Upper Kohistan, Kolai Palas, North Waziristan, Mardan, Abbottabad, Karak, Buner, South Wazirstan, Lakki Marwat, Swabi, and Mohmand are classified as medium to flood risk during the season.

Monsoon contingency plan afoot to safeguard lives, livelihoods

The PDMA has actively engaged the district administrations, provincial and federal line departments, and humanitarian partners in developing this plan, incorporating valuable lessons learned from previous incidents.

The primary objective is to mitigate the impact of disasters and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the people.

Floods have been an ongoing issue, particularly in lowland areas, resulting in waterborne diseases, loss of human and livestock life, and damage to infrastructure.

The Monsoon Contingency Plan 2024 addresses this concern through a comprehensive flood risk management approach that encompasses prevention, mitigation, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery measures.

Prevention measures focus on discouraging construction in current and future flood-prone areas, adopting future developments to flood risks, and promoting appropriate land-use and agricultural practices.

Mitigation strategies include structural and non-structural measures aimed at reducing the likelihood and impact of floods in specific locations. Preparedness efforts aim to educate the population about flood risks and provide guidance on appropriate actions during a flood.

Emergency response plans are being developed to ensure a swift and effective response in the event of a flood. Furthermore, the plan incorporates recovery and lessons learned components to minimize the social and economic impacts on affected communities and facilitate their return to normalcy.

The monsoon contingency plan builds upon the lessons learned from past flood events, such as the catastrophic floods of 2010, heavy monsoon rainfalls of 2011, and flash floods in 2012 and 2022 and subsequent disasters. By conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, the plan aims to strengthen preparedness and response capacities while identifying and addressing gaps and challenges.

Key outcomes expected from the Monsoon Contingency Plan 2024 include raising awareness and building capacity for effective response, anticipating and allocating necessary resources based on threat perception.

Mohammad Qasair Khan, PDMA Director General, stated that the contingency plan focused on mitigating the potential impact of floods, building on the lessons learned from previous years’ events. “It includes the implementation of improved early warning systems, streamlined evacuation procedures, and enhanced communication channels.”

Moreover, he said the plan placed significant emphasis on community engagement to ensure their active participation in disaster preparedness. “By involving and empowering the community, the plan aims to enhance resilience and response capabilities, fostering a collaborative approach to tackle the challenges posed by monsoon-related disasters.”

PDMA’s spokesman Anwar Shahzad said that the contingency plan focused on planning for the upcoming monsoon 2024 hazards to identify and analyse related risks for not just their humanitarian impacts but also the associated adverse effects on private and public infrastructure, and to define the roles and responsibilities of diverse stakeholders for preparedness and response.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2024