More rain and flood likely..rescuers ready

File photo: Devastation of flood in Gilgit Baltistan

ISLAMABAD: From 5 to 15 percent above normal rainfall is expected during the ensuing monsoon season as comparing to previous season, Director General Meteorological department Arif Mehmood said Friday.

Addressing a press conference he urged the provincial governments and National Disaster Management Authorities to intensify the preparations to prevent the losses of lives and properties of the people.

The above normal rains are expected in vulnerable areas including some areas of Southern Punjab, lower Sindh and some districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.

Due to global warming, he said the frequency of rains would be more due to the expected cloud bursting, elaborating he said due to variety of reasons 250 to 300 ml rainfall is expected within a few hours which is likely to cause the flash flooding.

Arrangements are in place to convey to predictions of the rainfall to Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and relevant departments before five to seven days before the occurrence of rains, he said.

Pakistan Meteorological department has latest equipments and there is a very rare chance of proving wrong information, he told a questioner.


186 rescuers from GB to pass out today

RESCUERS trained for Gilgit & Sakrdu (Gilgit Baltistan) shall pass out on June 16, 2012 from Emergency Services Academy Lahore.

The rescuers have been trained at the Rescue 1122 Academy, so that modern Rescue 1122 emergency ambulance, rescue and fire services could also be provided to citizens of other disaster prone provinces of Pakistan.

The rescuers have been given specialised medical, rescue, firefighting and rescue from height training in the first phase then specialised training courses were arranged for rescuers in the fields of Communication, Medical First Responder (MFR), Collapsed Structure Search & Rescue (CSSR), Communication Enhancement and Incident Command System.

The quality training of such a large number of rescuers with limited resources was a gigantic task achieved through close monitoring and weekly tests. The emergency staff will be deputed in hospitals at their respective districts for hands-on skills in emergency department of teaching hospitals before final posting.