PESHAWAR
\nThe Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), under the guidance of the Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), has commenced the process of developing the Winter Contingency Plan for 2023-24 in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
\nThe primary objectives are to minimize disaster risks, identify hazards, assess risks, and map available resources to enhance preparedness and ensure a coordinated and prompt response.
\nIn this context, a crucial pre-winter planning and orientation meeting was convened with the Provincial Line Departments, chaired by PDMA Director General, Janat Gul Afridi.
\nDirector General Janat Gul Afridi said, \u201cWe have initiated the Winter Contingency Planning process involving all stakeholders, and the plan is expected to be finalized by mid-November.
\nWe have developed data collection tools and shared them with stakeholders, including information on district\/sector-specific hazards, vulnerability profiles, hazard impacts, damages, compensation details, resource mapping, needs assessments, and coordination efforts.\u201d
\nHe added, \u201cThrough the upcoming contingency plan, our aim is to mitigate potential losses caused by winter-related natural hazards including extreme low temperatures, fog\/smog, snowfall, rainfall, landslides, flash floods and seismic activity in the mountainous north and west.\u201d
\nThe Winter Contingency Plan will categorize districts based on Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, ranging from very high to low vulnerability levels.
\nEach weather pattern will have its own set of contingencies.
\nThe unique geography, terrain, and natural resources of KP expose the province to various climate-related challenges during both summer and winter. Regions such as Malakand and Hazara Divisions, due to their high altitudes, face extreme winter conditions for approximately four months, from December to March, which include low temperatures, fog\/smog, snowfall, rainfall, landslides, avalanches, and the consequent disruption of transportation.
\nDeputy Director of Disaster Risk Management at PDMA, Sahibzada Saleem, explained that PDMA has initiated the process of implementing proactive preparedness measures in line with guidelines established by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
\nThis will streamline responses at both provincial and district levels in close coordination with all stakeholders.
\nThe contingency planning for major hazards will enable the implementation of necessary mitigation measures and facilitate a coordinated response to minimize the loss of life and property during disaster events.
\nThis inclusive exercise involves assessing available resources, hazard analysis, and estimating potential relief caseloads as part of the planning assumptions.
\nPDMA KP is an active provincial-level Disaster Management Organization, specializing in Disaster Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, and Planning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), under the guidance of the Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), has commenced the process of developing the Winter Contingency Plan for 2023-24 in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. The primary objectives are to minimize disaster risks, identify hazards, assess risks, and map available resources to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-359692","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n