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KARACHI, Jul 15 (APP):Floods and natural disasters cannot be completely prevented, but better preparedness and governance can significantly reduce their impact, said Engr Ehsan Leghari, Sindh’s representative in the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), at a seminar held here on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event organized by Metameta Research Netherlands in collaboration with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, Leghari stressed the importance of learning to live with floods. “Floods are not just a result of climate change but also reflect the gaps in infrastructure, planning, and governance,” he remarked.
The seminar, held at a local hotel in Karachi, focused on lessons learned from the devastating 2022 floods and strategies to mitigate future disasters.
Leghari pointed to multiple contributing factors behind the floods, including incomplete drainage projects such as the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) and Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD), weak barrage embankments, and rampant encroachments along canal banks.
“The 2010 and 2022 floods exposed our vulnerabilities. Now is the time to devise a comprehensive preparedness strategy to minimize future losses,” he said.
Other key speakers included PDMA Director Operations Muhammad Shayan Shah, DG Water Sector Improvement Program Nazeer Memon, Salim Ur Rehman Sheikh, Imran Leghari, Muhammad Suleman G. Abro, and Sarwan Baloch. They addressed the root causes of disasters, emphasized the importance of early planning, and advocated for greater public awareness.
Metameta Country Head Ashfaq Soomro also spoke at the seminar, sharing insights from the organization’s 25 years of global experience. “MetaMeta has been active in 10 countries and conducted detailed research on the causes and aftermath of the 2022 floods in Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab,” Soomro noted. He highlighted that while 20 million people were affected by the 2010 floods, the 2022 disaster impacted over 31 million people.
The seminar was attended by a wide range of participants, including academics, journalists, civil society members, and government officials. Notable attendees included Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, journalist Zufeen T. Ebrahim, Sahar Gul Bhatti, Nasir Panhwar, Dr. Ali Akbar Hangorjo, and Fozia Aziz.