Pakistan's NDMA issues nationwide monsoon rain alert

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a red alert, urging provincial and district administrations to brace for potential flooding as a fresh monsoon spell is forecast to lash the country till Aug.29.

The alert, follows a Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast predicting that strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal will penetrate Pakistan’s upper regions, bringing torrential rains, wind and thundershowers to large swathes of the country.

The NDMA said the first wave of heavy rainfall is expected to lash upper and central Pakistan till Aug.27, with a second wave targeting Sindh and the eastern and southern parts of Balochistan from Aug.27 to 29.

The authority warned that the weather system could trigger flash floods in local streams and nullahs in Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and northeast Punjab.

Urban flooding is also a significant risk in low-lying areas, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Nowshera.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the NDMA cautioned that heavy to very heavy rainfall could lead to flash floods in local waterways and trigger landslides and rockfalls in hilly areas such as Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera and Swabi.

The NDMA highlighted isolated hailstorms could damage infrastructure, orchards, farms and vehicles, as well as windstorms capable of destroying crops and loose structures. It urged the public to be aware of hazards posed by lightning strikes and loose structures like billboards, electrical poles and solar panels.

Tourists have been advised to remain cautious before travelling and farmers to plan their activities in line with the weather forecast.

The NDMA also added the people should move away from drainage canals and seek immediate shelter indoors during storms.

All federal ministries, provincial governments and local administrations have been instructed to take necessary precautionary measures.

The NDMA also called on authorities to alert residents in low-lying areas and ensure that communication channels for disseminating weather advisories are streamlined and efficient.