Islamabad: The Japanese Government has approved a USD 18.5 million grant to aid flood management efforts in Pakistan. This initiative aims to bolster the country's ability to predict and manage floods, which have caused extensive damage in recent years.

According to Zameen.Com, the project, facilitated through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will fund the construction of three embankments on the Indus River in Haripur district. Additionally, rain gauges will be installed at 45 locations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to enhance flood forecasting and control. The project, titled "Flood Management Enhancement in the Indus Basin," seeks to improve the accuracy of flood predictions, support disaster risk reduction, and minimize human and economic losses.

The move comes in response to the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2022, which resulted in the loss of 1,700 lives, destruction of homes and farmland, and economic losses estimated at USD 30 billion. The data collected from the rain gauges, managed by the Federal Flood Commission and Water and Power Development Authority, will be shared among different agencies to improve flood response and management. Furthermore, the project will assist in the restoration of river infrastructure damaged during the 2022 floods.

The agreement for this project was signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz and Japanese Ambassador Wada Mitsuhiro. They emphasized Japan's commitment to supporting vulnerable communities in Pakistan. This initiative is part of a broader flood protection program that is jointly financed by Pakistan's federal and provincial governments and international partners, including the deployment of telemetry and weather stations for better flood forecasting.