'Store water in tubs, containers': Pakistan minister's answer to floods
What's the story
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested an unusual solution to the country's severe flooding crisis. He proposed that residents in low-lying areas should "store" floodwaters in containers instead of letting them flow into drains. Speaking on Dunya News, Asif said, "People who are protesting against the flood-like situation should take the floodwaters home." "Store this water...in tubs and containers. We should look at this water in the form of a blessing and hence should store it," he added.
Flood management
Asif urges people to view flooding as a 'blessing'
Asif further advised that Pakistan should focus on building small dams that can be constructed quickly, instead of waiting 10-15 years for mega projects. He said, "We are letting water go down the drain...We must store it." The floods have affected over two million people and submerged more than a thousand villages in Pakistan's Punjab province. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that from June 26-August 31, at least 854 people have died, and over 1,100 have been injured.
Food security concerns
Inflation may come in at 4-5%
The calamity strikes at a critical time for Pakistan's ailing economy. Inflation fell to 4.1% in July from 11.1% a year earlier, and food inflation, which had risen above 50% in 2023, had slowed. Officials now predict the August inflation reading, coming on Monday, to be between 4-5%, with food shortages already driving up prices. Analysts believe that delayed wheat sowing, reduced rice exports, and the need to buy cotton will add to the burden.
UN
UN warns of food shortages, inflation due to floods
The United Nations has sounded the alarm over possible food shortages and inflation as farmlands are inundated and crops destroyed. Officials have warned that two more days of monsoon rains could further complicate relief efforts and raise water levels across Punjab. Authorities in Punjab have established 511 relief camps, 351 hospital locations, and 321 veterinary facilities, evacuating approximately 481,000 people and 405,000 animals thus far. More than 15,000 police officers have been deployed as the monsoon rains continue.