ISLAMABAD, May 3: A high-level meeting here on Saturday discussed arrangements to tackle potential monsoon floods in the country.

National Disaster Managem-ent Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt- Gen (retired) Farooque Ahmed Khan presided over the meeting that was attended by the national and provincial flood control authorities.

The participants discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to flood preparedness and response measures with emphasis on gaps and remedial measures, water regulation framework with regard to flood control, and status of early coverage against the flood hazards in general and flash floods in particular, and the likely monsoon weather forecast.

They also contemplated measures to prevent any health hazards and save livestock in case of floods.

The meeting noted that out of natural hazards, the most frequent one experienced by the vast population of Pakistan each year were the monsoon floods. Massive floods cause misery to millions of people of low-lying areas of Punjab and Sindh provinces.

The monsoon floods are potential threat to humans as well as manmade infrastructure and economic interest. —Our Reporter