Islamabad: Pakistan has neither an effective telemetry system nor modern weather forecast radars for timely prediction of flooding, the national disaster management agency has said, as seasonal torrential rains claimed 134 lives and injured 81 others in the last over two months since the monsoon began in the country.
Telemetry is the automatic recording and transmission of data from remote or inaccessible sources to an IT system in a different location for monitoring and analysis.
Every year, Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge and other rain-related incidents which cause huge loss of life and properties. The monsoon season runs from June-July through September.
Monsoon rains are lashing Pakistan at a time when authorities are trying to contain the spread of the coronovirus, which caused 6,288 deaths since February when the country reported its first case.
Nine more people — five in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and four in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) — died overnight, pushing the nationwide monsoon-related death toll to 134, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Sunday.
“Of those killed, 61 are males, 14 females and 59 children, it said, adding that 81 people, including 10 in the last 24 hours, were also injured in various rain-related incidents across the country.
According to the National Monsoon Contingency Plan 2020 compiled by the NDMA, “The country still does not have an effective aviation system to deal with flood disasters and other catastrophes.” (PTI)
