By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is bracing for another bout of heavy monsoon weather, with the Meteorological Department forecasting rain, gusty winds and thundershowers across the upper and central parts of the country from August 17 to 21, alongside warnings of urban flooding and landslides in vulnerable districts.
The Met Office said monsoon currents were continuing to push into the country’s northern regions and would persist over the coming days. A westerly wave is also expected to move into the upper parts of Pakistan from August 17, and forecasters said the two systems combined were likely to bring widespread rainfall across much of the country.
The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), citing the Met Office forecast, issued its own advisory warning of rain and thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds and isolated heavy falls in several parts of the province from August 16 to 21, with occasional breaks expected throughout.
Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa brace for widespread falls
In Azad Kashmir, scattered rain with wind and thundershowers, including isolated heavy falls, is forecast to begin on the evening of August 16 and continue through August 21 with intermittent gaps. The districts likely to be affected include Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is expected to see some of the most significant rainfall of the spell, with rain, wind and thundershower activity — including isolated heavy falls — forecast from August 17 to 21 across Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar and Mardan.
The province’s southern districts — Karak, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Waziristan — are expected to be hit somewhat later, with rain forecast for August 20 and 21.
Islamabad and Punjab’s northern belt on alert
Islamabad and the upper parts of Punjab are also in the firing line. Rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are forecast from the evening of August 16 through to August 21 across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galyat, Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang, Attock, Sialkot, Narowal, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali and Noorpur Thal.
Central and southern Punjab will follow a few days behind, with Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Layyah, Bhakkar, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and D.G. Khan expected to receive rain and thundershowers on August 20 and 21.
Gilgit-Baltistan, and pockets of Sindh and Balochistan
Further north, Gilgit-Baltistan is expected to see rain, wind and thundershower activity from August 18 to 21, again with occasional gaps, across Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar.
Sindh and Balochistan are expected to largely escape the wet weather, with conditions remaining mainly hot and humid across most areas. However, the Balochistan districts of Musakhel, Barkhan, Zhob, Kalat and Khuzdar are forecast to see rain, wind and thundershower activity from the evening of August 17 through to August 20.
Both the Met Office and the Punjab PDMA have warned that heavy rainfall during the forecast period could trigger urban flooding in a number of low-lying areas. The Met Office named Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Mardan, Swabi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore as being at risk between August 17 and 20, while the Punjab PDMA separately flagged low-lying parts of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore over the same period.
Landslides are also a concern in hilly and mountainous terrain. The Met Office warned of landslide risk across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galyat and Kashmir throughout the forecast period, while the Punjab PDMA specifically cautioned that vulnerable areas of Murree and Galyat could be affected.
Authorities urge caution, step up preparedness
Tourists and travellers heading to the affected regions have been advised to exercise caution while the unsettled weather persists. Farmers have also been urged to plan crop-related activities around the forecast and to take appropriate care of their livestock.
The Punjab PDMA has issued a fuller set of guidelines to district administrations across the province, directing them to ensure preparedness and draw up effective risk-mitigation plans. District authorities have been told to maintain sufficient staffing round the clock for effective coordination and response, and to work closely with the PDMA and other relevant departments to ensure a unified, prompt reaction to any emergency.
Officials have also been instructed to ensure accurate and timely dissemination of information on safety measures and evacuation plans through electronic and social media, and to carry out timely desilting and clearance of all drains. Heavy earth-moving machinery is to be pre-positioned at choke points to enable a rapid response where needed.
The Motorway Police have been directed to issue regular traffic advisories, provide timely updates on road conditions and guide travellers on safe travel during the spell, with additional staff and resources to be deployed in high-risk areas. Rescue 1122 has been told to remain on alert, with search-and-rescue teams and equipment pre-positioned in readiness.
The Met Office has urged all concerned authorities to remain vigilant and take the necessary precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incident while the weather system remains active.
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