Worst flood damage occurred in Sindh's Dadu district: COAS Bajwa

Rawalpindi: Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday said the most destruction due to floods took place in Dadu district of Sindh.

He was talking to media during his visit to the flood-affected areas in Sindh.

Bajwa said he had visited all the flood-hit areas of Pakistan, but the worst damage happened in Dadu.

The Army chief said the rescue work had been completed in other areas but people are still being rescued in Dadu.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army chief spent time with flood victims at relief and medical camps in Dadu district.

The Army chief directed to provide 5,000 tents to the victims in Dadu and surrounding areas, General Qamar Javed Bajwa also met the jawans engaged in relief activities.

Bawaj inspected the flood-affected areas of Dadu, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Juhi, Mehar and Manchhar Lake.

He said a planning was being done to avoid any situation in the future.  COAS said Manchhar Lake and Hamal Lake had now joined together.

General Bajwa said: "At this time our brothers are in a lot of trouble, people from all over Pakistan are providing aid to the victims, and the international community is also helping us."

He said we should not be dependent totally on the international community's assistance, adding it might take a long time to restore the flood victims.

The Army chief said that at present our people are in a lot of trouble, a lot of help is coming from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "I will also request the people of rural and urban Sindh to come forward with help."

COAS said if 1,700mm of rain falls in an area that usually receives 50 mm of rain throughout the year, the country was not prepared for it.

"Army engineers have been tasked to prevent future floods, on which they will give a briefing to the chief ministers next week."

The Army chief said we have to take long-term measures and build dams to prevent floods.