Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday warned that monsoon activity is set to intensify across Pakistan from August 14 to 22, bringing widespread rains, strong winds and thunderstorms, with heavy to very heavy falls in several regions that could trigger flash floods, urban flooding and landslides.
According to the advisory, monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea are continuously penetrating the upper parts of the country, while moisture from the Bay of Bengal is likely to strengthen from August 17.
A westerly wave affecting northern areas is also expected to intensify during the same period, further enhancing rainfall activity.
Under these conditions, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are likely to receive rain-wind-thundershowers with scattered heavy falls between August 14 and 17, followed by intensified wet spells from August 18 to 21.
In Kashmir, the heaviest downpours are expected in Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Bagh, Haveli, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur, while Gilgit-Baltistan districts including Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar are also likely to receive heavy showers.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera and adjoining areas are expected to be affected.
In Punjab, heavy rains may lash Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha and several other districts, while southern Punjab, including Multan, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, is expected to receive scattered showers with isolated heavy falls.
Balochistan’s Barkhan, Musakhel, Khuzdar, Lasbella, Gwadar and Panjgur, and Sindh’s Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Larkana and Jacobabad may also receive rain-wind-thunderstorms from August 18 to 22.
The PMD cautioned that heavy rains could generate flash floods in hilly streams of Chitral, Swat, Mansehra, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, parts of northeast Punjab and Kashmir between August 15 and 21.
Hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and eastern Balochistan may also flood between August 18 and 21. Urban flooding is possible in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar and Nowshera, while landslides could block roads in mountainous areas of KP, GB, Murree and Kashmir.
Authorities have been advised to remain on high alert and take preventive measures to avoid loss of life and property. The PMD has urged the public, travellers and tourists to avoid unnecessary exposure to vulnerable areas, warning that windstorms and lightning could damage weak structures, electric poles, vehicles and billboards.
Disaster management bodies, local administrations and Rescue 1122 have been instructed to prepare emergency response plans ahead of the expected severe weather conditions.
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