RAWALPINDI: Heavy rainfall is expected in the next 48 hours in low-lying areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, which could lead to urban flooding, the Pakistan Meteorological Depart­ment (PMD) warned on Tuesday.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also directed all relevant departments to remain alert given rain spells till July 8. It also advised tourists and visitors to remain informed about weather conditions before traveling and farmers and livestock owners to take necessary precautions given weather conditions.

Rain, wind and thundershowers are expected in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, GB, KP, Islamabad, the Potohar region, upper and central Punjab, and northeast Balochistan. Isolated heavy falls are also expected in upper Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period. Hot and humid weather is expected in other parts of the country.

According to an NDMA spokesperson, these can trigger land sliding in hilly areas and flooding in the lowlands.

In Punjab, heavy rainfall is expected in Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, Narowal, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Lahore, Bhakkar, Layyah, Taunsa, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan.

In KP, rain and thunderstorm is expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbott­abad, Malakand, Balakot, Char­sadda, Mardan, Peshawar, Kohat, Kurram, Bannu, Waziristan and Dera Ismail Khan.

In Balochistan, hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the province, however isolated rain, wind and thunderstorm may occur in Ziarat, Kalat, Khuzdar, Zhob and Barkhan.

However, Federal Flood Commissioner (FFC) Ahmad Kamal told Dawn that the situation in the rivers is under control with no flooding expected in the coming days. He said that all major rivers of the Indus River System are running normally except River Kabul, which continues to flow in low flood at Nowshera.

He said that this year, the situation of water level in the dams of the country is better than the previous year, adding that in the wake of 2022 devastating floods, the federal government was already working on a 10-year flood response plan that would be finalised by August 15.

“FFC wanted to improve the forecasting system of Met Office in the country and adopt modern gadgets to forecast the situation in valleys of AJK and GB. We made a plan to establish flood regional offices in all the regions of the country as presently, it is established in Lahore only,” he said.

Mr Kamal said that a project worth Rs194 billion, approved by ECNEC, will be launched in the current fiscal year to avoid flood-like situation in the country.

“Under this project, Rs51bn will be spent in Sindh, Rs44bn in Balochistan, Rs29bn in Punjab, Rs12bn in KP, Rs11bn in AJK and Rs7bn in GB while some money will be spent to upgrade the forecasting system of Met Office,” he said.

Moist currents from the Arabian sea are penetrating in the upper parts of the country and those from the Bay of Bengal will also reach the upper parts.

Low to medium level flooding in the nullahs of Chenab and Ravi is also expected during this period. Flows are likely to increase significantly in Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers from July 9.

Saleem Shahid in Quetta also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2023