Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the urgent need to build new water reservoirs and small dams to tackle the growing challenge of climate change, as devastating floods continue to sweep through parts of Punjab.

Addressing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, federal ministers, and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials in Narowal, the prime minister said Pakistan has repeatedly suffered heavy losses due to extreme weather.

“Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change. Construction of new water reservoirs is the need of the hour,” he said.

Read also: Maryam Nawaz vows relief for flood victims as Ravi River swells

“We must utilise our resources to enhance water storage capacity, and there is great potential to build several small dams.”

PM Shehbaz, CM Maryam survey flood hit Punjab

Recalling the 2022 floods, which destroyed millions of acres of crops in Sindh and Balochistan, PM Shehbaz noted that once again, torrential rains have claimed lives and caused widespread destruction in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and now Punjab.

Teamwork praised in flood response

The prime minister praised the Punjab government, rescue services, police, and the irrigation department for their round-the-clock efforts. “The loss is being minimized due to teamwork, and I congratulate them from the bottom of my heart,” he remarked.

Read here: Lahore on high alert as rising Ravi floods force evacuations

NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider briefed PM Shehbaz on the overall flood situation during an aerial survey, highlighting the critical state of Narowal and Gujranwala division.

Maryam Nawaz highlights local efforts

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said no casualties had occurred due to administrative negligence. Speaking in Shahdara, she acknowledged that water levels in the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers had exceeded expectations.

“The Punjab administration has evacuated 50,000 people to safe places and will compensate victims for their losses,” she said. “We will also take strict action against those who have built houses in waterways.”

Maryam Nawaz emphasized the importance of building infrastructure and dams, noting, “I have never seen so much water in the Ravi. Water is a blessing of Allah, and it is very important to create structures to store it.”

She added that all relevant institutions have been tasked to prepare rainwater harvesting and floodwater storage programs to prevent future disasters.