Met Office warns of flooding, landslides as wet spell expected in upper parts of country from today

The Met Office has forecast rain and thundershowers in many parts of Pakistan, under the influence of strong monsoon currents, from today (Thursday).

It has also warned of rain-induced landslides, flash floods and urban flooding in upper parts of the country under the impact of this weather system, which is expected to last till Sunday.

According to an alert issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday, Dera Ghazi Khan and eastern parts of Balochistan may see hill torrents on Sunday and Monday.

The alert stated that intermittent rain and thundershowers, along with isolated heavy falls, were expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Kohistan, Shangla, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Dir, Chitral, Peshawar, Kohat, Waziristan, Tank, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah and Gilgit-Baltistan between Thursday night (tonight) and Sunday.

Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Khanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Loralai, Barkhan, Zhob, Ziarat, Quetta, Mastung, Khuzdar and Kalat would experience thundershowers and rain from Sunday evening to August 17, it added.

Heavy rains across the country may generate flash floods in nullahs in Shangla, Buner, Batgtaram, Mansehra, Balakot, Abbottabad, Swat, Kohistan, Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Narowal on Saturday and Sunday, the Met Office warned in the alert.

It also predicted hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and eastern parts of Balochistan on Sunday and Monday under the impact of monsoon currents.

Moreover, the PMD warned of urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Peshawar during the forecast period, and predicted rain-induced landslides in “vulnerable areas of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.

The alerts said that all relevant authorities “are advised to remain ALERT during the forecast period”.