• Rains to impact upper and central parts of the country from today; downpour expected in Sindh, Balochistan from 27th
• Urban flooding warnings for major cities; hilly areas at risk from landslides and rockfalls
• UK trains around 2,400 volunteers, announces £1.3m aid for flood victims
RAWALPINDI / ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a red alert on Friday, urging provincial and district administrations to brace for potential flooding as a fresh monsoon spell is forecast to lash the country from Aug 23 to 29.
The alert, follows a Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast predicting that strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal will penetrate the country’s upper regions, bringing torrential rains, wind and thundershowers to large swathes of the country.
According to the NDMA, the first wave of heavy rainfall is expected to lash upper and central Pakistan from Aug 23 to 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, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 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 are advised to remain cautious before travelling and farmers to plan their activities in line with the weather forecast.
It also added that 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.
Federal departments were directed to enhance inter-agency coordination, advising to implement strict and proactive monitoring of areas surrounding nullahs and water channels to prevent potential drowning incidents.
In case of any incident, the authority has requested that twice-daily updates be shared with the NDMA.
UK pledges £1.33m aid
Separately, the United Kingdom announced £1.33 million in humanitarian aid to support Pakistan’s response to the devastating effects of the current monsoon season and to help over 223,000 flood-affected people across seven districts in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As part of this aid, the UK had trained 2,400 community volunteers for search and rescue operations across Pakistan’s vulnerable districts.
