News
WB announces $15m aid for NWFP flood victims
PESHAWAR, July 07 : Relief and rehabilitation activities have been geared up as the flood-affected people started returning to their ragtag houses after 13 days consecutive high flood in the Kabul and Swat rivers that affected thousands of people in the central districts of the Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) besides Swat and Chitral.
The World Bank announced $15 million aid for the flood victims. The announcement was made by John Wall, country director of the bank, during his meeting with the NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq here.
He expressed sympathies with the government and people of the NWFP on flood devastations and loss of agricultural land and properties, said an official handout. John also assured the minister that his bank might consider enhancing the aid to $25 million in case of more relief requirements.
Meanwhile, the army troops continued rescue operations at Kichi Mahri, Kichi Karlu and Jhok Jabana areas of DI Khan and shifted 300 persons trapped in flood. Army has so far conducted 17 rescue operations in Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera and DI Khan districts and rescued 2315 people stranded in flood.
The Pakistan Red Crescent Society NWFP sent two truckloads of relief items for the flood victims of district Swat with assistance of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society Islamabad.
The relief items consisted of food packages, tents, kitchen utensils, blankets, ground sheets, water jerry cans, water purification tables and clothing.
The relief items were distributed under the direct supervision of the provincial chairman NWFP branch, PRCS Dr Sher Muhammad at Null, Asala, Barikot, Kanjo, Kuza, Dureshkhaila and Bara Dureshkhaila, said a release.
Meanwhile, NWFP Minister for Health Inayatullah received drugs donated by World Health Organisation for the flood affected people of the province from, Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud, the representative of the organisation in Peshawar.
The emergency drugs donated by the WHO will be handed over to the health authorities of the flood-affected districts of the province for onward distribution among the victims.
The emergency health kits containing life saving drugs, antibiotics, IV infusions, disposables medical instruments are enough for providing protection to 30,000 people from water born and other diseases for a period of 3 months.
Later on the health minister along with representative of the WHO and high-ups of the health departments visited emergency camp at Tapokorona, Warsak road Peshawar to inspect the on going relief activities in the district.
According to NWFP Flood Warning Center Peshawar, water level in River Indus at Chashma surged to some extent but still medium level of flood was recorded there.
Water discharge at Chashma was 430794 cusecs, which is considered as medium level of flood.
Indus at Attock was in low flood where the discharge of water was 307,900 cusecs. River Swat at Munda was still in high flood with a discharge 49033 cusecs, Kabul river at Nowshera too was in high flood where the discharge of water was 136500 cusecs, Kabul river at Warsak was in medium flood with a discharge of 86000 cusecs, Swat river at Amandara is in low flood, the discharge of water was 28535 cusecs.