Islamabad: The Japanese Government has approved a USD 18.5 million grant to aid flood management efforts in Pakistan, according to a news source on November 13.
This summary reflects details that this project, facilitated through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will fund the construction of three embankments on the Indus River in Haripur district, along with the installation of rain gauges at 45 locations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to strengthen flood forecasting and control.
The project, titled “Flood Management Enhancement in the Indus Basin”, aims to increase the accuracy of flood predictions, support disaster risk reduction, and minimize potential human and economic losses. This comes after Pakistan’s 2022 floods, which resulted in significant damage, with 1,700 lives lost, widespread destruction of homes and farmland, and economic losses estimated at USD 30 billion.
Data from the rain gauges, managed by the Federal Flood Commission and Water and Power Development Authority, will be shared across agencies to enhance flood response and management. The project will also support the restoration of river infrastructure damaged in the 2022 floods.
The agreement was signed in by Economic Affairs Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz and Japanese Ambassador Wada Mitsuhiro, who emphasised Japan’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities in Pakistan. This initiative aligns with a broader flood protection program jointly financed by Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments and international partners, which includes the deployment of telemetry and weather stations for improved flood forecasting.
As a graduate in English Literature, Zohaib believes that words are not just a mere figment of imagination. It takes wisdom to be good at them. Following this reason, he is pursuing his career as Public Relations and Content Specialist at Zameen.com.
