Following the flood warning due to heavy rains in Dera Ghazi Khan Division on August 17 and 18, issued by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Punjab government has started considering the evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas to protect their lives and property. In this regard, Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal chaired an important meeting at his office in the Civil Secretariat on Monday to review the arrangements for dealing with possible flooding due to heavy downpour. The meeting decided to deploy mobile teams of the departments of health, livestock and volunteers of Civil Defence in DG Khan Division. The Chief Secretary directed the authorities to immediately identify the areas likely to be hit by hill torrents and arrangements would be made to move people as well as livestock away from unsafe places. He said that transport and food facilities should be provided to locals moving to safer places and the help of notables of area and prayer leaders (Imam) of mosques should be sought to convince people of the evacuation. He said that senior member of the board of revenue would supervise the evacuation plan, and relief and rescue operation. The meeting was briefed that about 6,000 people were affected by floods in DG Khan, Rajanpur and Jampur on Sunday. Rescue operations were conducted at nine places in DG Khan and four places in Jampur. Tents and food hampers are being provided in the affected areas. The senior member board of revenue, secretaries of irrigation, health, and livestock, PDMA director general and officers concerned attended the meeting while the commissioner DG Khan attended the meeting through video link. Meanwhile, the Balochistan government decided to form special teams consisting of officers to provide assistance to the administration of the calamity-stricken districts in surveying the damages caused by the rains and floods. The decision was made in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo to review matters related to damages caused by floods and ongoing relief activities in flood-affected areas. Chief Secretary Balochistan Abdul Aziz Aqeeli, Senior Member board of revenue Roshan Ali Shaikh and the secretaries of the relevant departments attended the meeting. While addressing the review meeting, the CM said the entire province is affected by the recent rains and floods, “We have to look at every district without further delay.” “The Deputy Commissioners of all districts should make an accurate estimate of the losses and inform the government about the real needs of the affected people,” CM stressed. Consenting to the constitution of the special teams, he noted that the objective of the initiative was to complete the survey work within the stipulated period and ensure people hit by the catastrophe were being provided with best available relief. Earlier, DG PDMA and secretaries of the department engaged in the relief activities in the flood-hit areas apprised the meeting about the ongoing relief work.