Monsoon starts today with rains in upcountry

The PMD said that humid winds from the Arabian Sea are entering the upper regions of the country

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) announced on Sunday the start of the monsoon season from Monday, which would bring heavy to moderate rains, and windstorms in different parts of the country this week.

The PMD said in its latest forecast that humid winds from the Arabian Sea were entering the upper regions of the country, as a result, the rain were expected in the country during July 3-8 period.

According to the forecast, rain, thunderstorms and strong winds were expected to blow in the upcountry areas from July 3, then in Balochistan from July 5 and finally the wet weather will set in in Sindh on July 7.

From the evening of July 3, rain was expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Gulyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, according to the PMD.

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“[There are] chance of strong winds, wind and rain in Nowshera, Kurram, Bannu, Lucky Marwat, Kohat, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh till July 8,” it said.

The PMD said that rains would be expected in Balochistan’s Barkhan, Loralai, Sabi, Nasirabad, Kalat, Khuzdar, Zhob, Lasbela, Awaran areas, besides Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Waziristan, of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during July 5-8 period.

The PMD further predicted rains with thunder and wind in Karachi on July 7 and 8, adding that heavy rains might also pummel some areas of the metropolitan. It added that the rain in Sindh might continue till July 8.

In the rural Sindh, the PMD said, strong winds, thunderstorm with heavy rain at places was likely in Sukkur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Nawabshah, Padaidan, Larkana, Mithi, Chorr, Nangarparkar, Umarkot, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Dadu, Thatth, Badin, Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, the authorities concerned in in K-P said that the new spell of monsoon rain could result in floods in rivers and streams as well as landslides in upper mountainous districts besides urban flooding in many low-lying areas of the province.

The deputy commissioners of Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan and other districts had been warned of urban flooding in their districts. They had also been directed to monitor river and streams.

The officials had been further told to alert the tourists in the mountainous districts about the dangers of flooding as well as landslides so that they could take precautionary measures.