Met Office forecasts torrential rains across country from today

Advisory says weather system may cause downpours in parts of the country till Wednesday

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday forecasted countrywide torrential rains, beginning from Monday (today), due to a weather system that's entering the upper and central parts of the country.

The authority said that the aforesaid system will last until Wednesday. A similar alert has been issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which has also issued directives to the relevant authorities to adopt emergency measures in view of the situation.

Due to the strong weather system, heavy rains are expected in Sukkur, Larkana, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Karachi, Dera Bugti, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Lasbela and Khuzdar from Tuesday evening till Wednesday.

The advisory added that widespread thundershower with isolated hailstorms would take place in Islamabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan.

Also read: Karachi to receive first spell of monsoon rains from next week

Rawalpindi, Murree, Galyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura,Okara, Kasur, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar and Multan may also receive heavy rains from Monday night till Wednesday.

It further stated that widespread rain and windstorm with isolated hailstorms would take place in Bhimber, Kotli, Mirpur, Poonch, Bagh, Haveli, Hattian, Muzaffarabad and Neelum Valley; Gilgit Baltistan including Astore, Ghizer, Gilgit, Diamir, Hunza and Skardu and Balochistan including Zhob, Sherani, Musa Khel, Kohlu, Barkhan during the aforesaid period.

The PMD warned that downpours may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

It is also feared that the rainfall may generate flash floods in nullahs or the K-P rivers as well as in Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and northeast Balochistan.

"Travellers and tourists are advised to remain cautious during the forecast period and avoid unnecessary travel," the advisory maintained.