The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday issued a weather advisory for the country’s northern areas, warning that monsoon rains are likely to continue over the next few days before enhancing from July 5.
In a statement, the PMD warned heavy to very heavy rains might generate flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Murree, Galliyat, Manshera, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, D.G Khan, northeast Punjab, Kashmir and parts of Balochistan from July 5-8.
Forecasts of heavy downpours from July 6-8 might cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera and Peshawar, while landslides/mudslides might cause roads closures in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the wet spell.
The Met Office has said moist currents are continuously penetrating and the rains are likely to continue over the coming days before enhancing from the evening of July 5. A westerly wave is also approaching upper parts on July 6.
Kashmir/Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Rain-wind/thunderstorm with scattered heavy falls are forecast for Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur); Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Waziristan, Orakzai, Manshera, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Hangu and Kurram from July 5-10, with occasional gaps.
Gilgit-Baltistan
Rain-wind/thunderstorm is also expected in Gilgit-Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar) from July 6-10, with occasional gaps.
Punjab/Islamabad
Rain-wind/thundershower with scattered heavy falls are forecast for Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Okara, Kasur, Khushab, Sargodha, Bhakkar and Mianwali from July 5-10, with occasional gaps.
Rain-wind/thundershower are also expected in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, D.G. Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rahimyar Khan and Layyah from July 6-8.
Balochistan/Sindh
Rain-wind/thundershower, with isolated heavy falls, are forecast in Sherani, Musakhel, Loralai, Sibbi, Barkhan, Naseerabad, Kalat, Lasbella, Khuzdar, Awaran, Kalat, Jaffarabad, Dera Bugti and Kohlu from the evening of July 3 and July 4, and again from July 6-8.
Light to moderate rain-wind/thundershower in Sindh’s Tharparkar, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin and Karachi is forecast from July 3-4, with occasional gaps. Isolated heavy fall has been forecast in southeastern/lower Sindh.
The advisory warns that the prevailing weather conditions might damage weak structures such as Kacha houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels during the forecast period. It has urged farmers to manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast and advised the public to avoid unusual exposure in vulnerable areas to avoid any untoward situation and keep updated about any change in weather conditions.