PHOTO: AFP
A meteorologist told The Express Tribune that the Met office has issued alerts to all the departments concerned to take extra pre-emptive measures to avoid losses.
He said that currently there are no chances of riverine flooding in the country. However, urban flooding could be expected in major cities.
The first spell of monsoon downpour continued to lash different parts of the country on the third day of Eid.
Rain-thundershowers along with strong gusty winds turned the weather pleasant and brought relief for the people living in K-P, Punjab, Balochsitan, Islamabad, Sindh, Fata and Kashmir who had been braving high temperatures over the past few days.
According to the Pakistan Met Office, monsoon started in Pakistan from June 26, however its intensity increased from Wednesday. The Met office has also predicted that strong monsoon currents are penetrating the country and are likely to continue during the next 24 hours. A fresh westerly wave is also affecting upper parts of the county and may persist for a day.
Karachi braces for rain as Met dept predicts showers across country
The Met office has also warned people travelling to hilly areas to plan their trips while considering the weather conditions as there are chances of landslides in hilly areas of upper K-P (Malakand, Hazara divisions), G-B and Kashmir.
Meanwhile considering the intensity of heavy downpours across Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and all provincial governments to take immediate precautionary measures in view of the monsoon rains.
The premier on Wednesday asked officials that adequate emergency preparatory measures should be ensured throughout the country to contain any potential damage. PM Nawaz also directed officials to keep the residents of vulnerable areas informed regarding emergency procedures and ensure their timely evacuations, wherever needed.
On the other hand the chief meteorologist, Flood Forecasting Division, Lahore while sharing the latest hydrological position said that River Kabul was in low flood at Nowshera and all other major rivers were flowing in their normal flow.
However, medium to high-level flooding is expected in nullahs of river Ravi and Chenab along with hill torrents of DG Khan Division. Moderate flooding was also expected in nullahs of east Balochistan.
Monsoon likely to catch municipal authorities unaware
Sindh
The dry spell ended in Sindh after the skies opened up on Wednesday with thunder, lightning and a downpour. In the first three hours of the rain, 19 millimetres was recorded.
Karachi’s first monsoon rain was coupled with inevitable power outages across the city, as 400 K-Electric (K-E) feeders tripped. Representatives of the power utility said work to resume power supply would begin once the rain stopped. Power supply to most areas of the city was suspended during the rainfall. These areas included Malir, Korangi, areas surrounding the airport, Saddar, Kemari and Landhi, Nazimabad, North Karachi, Buffer Zone, Liaqatabad, FB Area and North Nazimabad, according to the utility.
K-E also issued an advisory for residents, urging them to take safety precautions for themselves and their families during the rain.
Scattered light pre-monsoon showers poured down in the districts of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas division. The light showers started past midnight on Wednesday.
However, Benazirabad district received a moderately heavy downpour with the meteorological department recording 26 millimetres of rain. Hyderabad received only 2mm.
The Meteorological department has forecast isolated heavy rainfall in lower Sindh up till today (Thursday).
Balochistan
Provincial Disaster Management Authority issued alerts to different parts of Balochistan as the province started receiving its spell of monsoon rains.
According to details, Provincial Minister for PDMA has directed the DG to issue alert to the disaster-prone areas, calling for cancellation of the leaves of staff.
Moreover, a control room has also been established in PDMA headquarters to deal with any emergency situation.
Picnic has also been banned in Bolan as a flash flood of 10,000 cusecs has already passed from the Nari Bank River. Similarly, the roofs of various mud houses have caved in in Kohlu owing to flash floods.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zerhi has taken notice of the stranded passengers in Khuzdar and its suburbs and directed authorities to provide them with food and shelter.
District administration has also launched efforts to recover the stranded passengers at the earliest.
K-P
Despite the continuing rain, authorities have ruled out the possibility of floods in the province.
“At present, there is no chance of heavy floods in the rivers due to rains,” Mushtaq Shah, director meteorological department in Peshawar told The Express Tribune. However, he added that flow of water in drains in the city and villages is expected to rise which can result in flooding of roads and streets.
PDMA has also issued alerts ahead of the expected heavy rains with storms across the province.
PIA flights
A number of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) domestic and international flights remained disturbed facing diversions and delays due to unfavourable weather conditions for flying across the country.
“However, PIA facilitated passengers during the delays and tried to operate flights upon clearance from Meteorological department’s advice,” PIA Spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar said in a statement.
Flights especially in the northern parts of the country were mostly disturbed.
(WITH INPUTS FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS IN KARACHI, LAHORE, QUETTA AND PESHAWAR)
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