Heavy rains ‘to lash the country next week’

Met prediction follows NDMA warning for preventive measures

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted heavy downpours across Pakistan over the next week.

Based on the weather forecast, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued alerts to the authorities concerned, advising them to take preventive measures to avoid material and human losses.

The NDMA suggested clearing sewerage and drainage systems in all major cities, especially in Karachi. Recent rains wreaked havoc in Karachi, inundating various low-lying localities in the megapolis.

The NDMA also asked the authorities in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar to evacuate neighbourhoods along nullahs and rivers and other water courses well ahead of the expected downpours.

Monsoon rains have already claimed 46 lives this year across the country.



According to the weather outlook shared by the NDMA, medium to high flood is expected in the River Chenab between July 9 and 13 at Marala and between July 11 and 13 in the River Jehlum at Mangala (upstream).

Meanwhile, medium to high flood is also expected in nullahs in catchment areas of the River Ravi and the River Chenab, northeastern Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa along with hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan division between July 11 and 13.

India withholds info

Despite repeated requests, New Delhi is reluctant to share timely information on water outflows in its rivers and actual rain flows recorded as stipulated in the Indus Water Treaty.

Experts said that without this crucial data, Pakistan was unable to gauge water flows.

Over the past 15 years, Pakistan endured at least five major floods, causing massive huge human and financial losses. .

There may be multiple reasons for natural calamities, but officials blame India for exacerbating Pakistan's problems.

The Express Tribune learnt that India has not been sharing crucial data of water inflows in rivers and water levels in its major reservoirs since 1999.

A senior government official said that Pakistan raised this issue several times at various international conferences, but there was no positive response from India.

Recently, NDMA chairman Lt-Gen Omar Mehmood Hayat also urged that India, as an upper riparian neighbour, to cooperate by timely sharing information on water outflows from its rivers and actual rainfall as stipulated in the Indus Water Treaty.



The NDMA chairman observed that along with the flood hazards from heavy rainfall in catchment areas and glacial melt, release of waters from across the borders in eastern and western rivers such as Kabul, Chenab, Jhelum and Indus was one of major vulnerability.

He also urged the Pakistan Commission for Indus Water (PCIW) to enhance coordination mechanism of ‘Early Warning Arrangements’ before releasing water, especially in the eastern rivers so that timely and effective flood mitigation response could be mounted by authorities here in Pakistan.