The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a warning about an ongoing nationwide monsoon rains, expected to continue until July 27. The warning comes as strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are forecasted to penetrate the upper regions of Pakistan.
The NDMA’s National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has identified several regions that will experience thunderstorms and rain tonight. These include coastal areas of Sindh such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Umarkot, Mirpur Khas, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Larkana Division, Tharparkar, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, and Islamkot.
Heavy to moderate rainfall is also expected in Rohri and Rahim Yar Khan in southern Punjab, as well as in several areas of Azad Kashmir, including Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, regions such as Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Bajaur, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Mohmand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Hangu, Kurram, Waziristan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Dera Ismail Khan are expected to receive significant rainfall. Gilgit-Baltistan is also on alert for similar weather conditions.
The heavy rain poses risks of urban flooding, rising water levels in streams and rivers, and landslides in mountainous regions. The NDMA has urged all relevant authorities and the public to take necessary precautions to mitigate these potential impacts. Emergency Response Teams have been alerted, and resources are being mobilized to ensure a swift response to any emergencies that may arise.
Tourists have been advised to avoid traveling to affected areas during this period. The NDMA has also recommended downloading the ‘Pak NDMA Disaster Alert’ mobile app for timely alerts and monitoring weather reports.
The heavy rain brought much-needed relief from the sweltering heat in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The rain, which started early in the morning and lasted for more than two hours, varied in intensity from light to heavy. The Meteorological Department recorded significant rainfall, with 61 millimeters (mm) at Shamsabad, 41mm at Chaklala, 10mm at Kutcheri in Rawalpindi; and 50mm at Zero Point, 6mm at Bokra, 61mm at Saidpur, 20mm at Golra, and 4mm at the airport in Islamabad.
A new flood warning system has been installed at Kattarian Bridge on Leh Nullah to record water levels, following the theft of the previous system on July 19. The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has imposed a rain emergency in anticipation of more rain. Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf reported that water levels in Leh Nullah remained under control, with pre-alert levels not being reached.