According to an advisory issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday, the country is expected to receive intense rainfall with thunderstorms till April 29.
NDMA has advised the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), and other relevant departments to make necessary arrangements beforehand.
The authority in a press release stated that “it is imperative for the departments to ensure the pre-placement of machinery and the availability of relevant staff in vulnerable areas.”
“Local departments are urged to sensitize residents living along riverbanks and associated nullahs about the expected increase in water flows, and to facilitate timely evacuation of at-risk populations from low-lying and flood-prone areas as per evacuation plans,” it added.
Furthermore, citizens have also been advised to take precautionary measures, such as staying away from electric poles and weak infrastructure, and refrain from driving or walking in waterways.
According to the prediction of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) and other weather forecasting models, Pakistan is expected to experience moderate to severe weather patterns from April 17 to 29.
The expected weather patterns include heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hailstorms, which could pose significant risks to various parts of the country. Farmers, cattle owners, tourists, and travelers have been urged to exercise caution during this period, staying informed about weather and road conditions before any trips.
The forecast suggests that a weather system will enter Pakistan on April 17, bringing heavy rainfall and thunderstorms until April 22. Balochistan will be affected from April 17 to April 19, followed by impacts on Punjab and Sindh from April 18 to April 19.
Upper Punjab will feel the effects from April 18 to April 21, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu, and Kashmir will experience them from April 17 to 22.
Afterward, a less intense weather system is expected to enter the country on April 23, resulting in light rainfall and thunderstorms in specific regions until April 24th.
From April 23 to 24, Balochistan and upper Punjab will experience mild effects, with KP, GB, and AJK also experiencing similar conditions. However, Sindh is likely to remain unaffected during this period.
Following that, a strong weather system is forecasted to move into Pakistan on April 25th, delivering heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hailstorms intermittently until April 29th.
From April 26th to April 29th, Upper Punjab will experience the most severe weather, while KP will be affected from April 25th to April 29th. Furthermore, there’s a possibility of the system impacting GB and AJK from April 25 to April 29.
The expected rainfall could potentially lead to flash floods in local nullahs of vulnerable regions such as Khuzdar, Ziarat, Zhob, Sherani, Muslim Bagh, Quetta, Pishin, Kech, Panjgur, Gwadar, and Turbat. There’s also a risk of flooding in low-lying areas, especially in southern and western Balochistan during this forecasted period.
