Monitoring Desk
LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab issued a province-wide alert on Tuesday, warning of severe weather expected to batter the region with intense windstorms, thunderstorms, and heavy rainfall from May 27 to May 31.
The alert follows a deadly windstorm last Saturday that claimed 19 lives, with authorities attributing 70 percent of the casualties to poorly installed solar panels.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts a westerly wave combined with moist currents driving the extreme weather. Upper and central Punjab districts, including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Lahore, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sheikhupura, are expected to face heavy rains, hailstorms, and lightning starting Tuesday evening.
Southern districts such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, and Vehari are likely to experience lighter to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms during the same period.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid loose structures, including electric poles, trees, vehicles, and solar panels, during thunderstorms and to remain indoors whenever possible. The warning comes in the wake of a PDMA assessment that revealed 70 percent of deaths in Saturday’s storm resulted from falling solar panels, which were not properly secured.
“Poorly fitted panels and mounts fell from rooftops, resulting in significant loss of life and property,” said PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia.
In response to the forecast, the Punjab government has activated emergency protocols across all districts, placing health, education, irrigation, local government, and Rescue 1122 departments on high alert with round-the-clock staffing at emergency operation centers. The provincial cabinet committee on disaster management convened an emergency meeting Monday, chaired by Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq, to address preparations for the upcoming monsoon season.
The meeting, attended by senior officials and divisional commissioners, focused on a five-point agenda to bolster the province’s disaster response. Kathia briefed the committee on PDMA’s preparations, while commissioners and deputy commissioners reported on ongoing desilting of waterways and mock emergency exercises. Rafiq issued specific directives for enhanced measures in Gujranwala and Lahore, where above-average monsoon rains are anticipated.
The committee approved a special grant for desilting operations in Waha, Rajanpur, and urgent measures to mitigate potential hill torrents in vulnerable areas. Rawalpindi’s Leh Nullah, a critical waterway prone to flooding, was identified for priority desilting. Rafiq emphasized the need for field visits by officers to ensure robust preparations before the monsoon intensifies.
The meeting also reviewed the Flood Risk Management Survey, with officials announcing plans to survey over 100,000 structures in the Dera Ghazi Khan division by June 22 to assess flood risks in hill torrent areas. A model study on river erosion patterns was also approved to strengthen long-term flood mitigation efforts.
The PDMA has taken urgent action to address the dangers posed by substandard solar panel installations, which contributed to the majority of fatalities in Saturday’s windstorm. Kathia confirmed that “70 percent of the accidents that occurred due to windstorms in the past few days were caused by fallen solar panels or their mounts.” He stressed that “solar panels installed on rooftops or in open areas should follow proper installation guidelines” and called for standardized, certified installations moving forward.
The PDMA has issued directives to the energy and local government departments, as well as divisional and district administrations, to develop comprehensive guidelines for solar panel installations to withstand extreme weather. The authority has mandated that all existing and future installations meet strict engineering standards, including the use of certified materials and mounting equipment, structural approval by relevant authorities, and regular maintenance and inspection protocols. Standard operating procedures for repairs and periodic safety checks are also in development.
The energy and local government departments have been tasked with creating a regulatory framework to enforce mandatory safety standards and certification processes for solar energy systems, particularly those on rooftops and open structures. The PDMA warned that failure to comply with these guidelines could lead to similar tragedies in future storms. Deputy commissioners have been directed to launch immediate public awareness campaigns to educate residents on safe solar panel installation practices while formal regulations are finalized.
To keep residents informed, the PDMA has established a communication system to disseminate weather updates and warnings through SMS alerts, mosque announcements, and local representatives. Kathia urged citizens to contact the PDMA helpline at 1129, WhatsApp at +923178371900, or landlines at 042-9922135/6 for assistance in emergencies. Local authorities have been instructed to submit daily situation reports to ensure real-time monitoring of the crisis. (Newspapers contents)
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
