PDMAs warn of flash floods in Sindh, Punjab

Downpours and windstorms could weaken mud house structures, cautions alert

LAHORE/KARACHI:

The Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) of Punjab and Sindh have issued warnings of potential flash floods in various cities across both the provinces, as heavy monsoon rains are expected to lash different parts of them from Monday to Thursday.

According to a notification posted by the PDMA Punjab on social media platform X, cities at risk of flash floods include Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Jhang, and Toba Tek Singh, among others.

The alert cautioned that heavy downpours and windstorms could weaken the structures of mud houses, electric poles, billboards, and solar panels.

“Heavy [rain] falls may generate flash flooding in local nullahs and streams of Murree and Galliyat on July 23rd and 24th,” PDMA Punjab stated, adding that heavy rainfall could also cause urban flooding in the low-lying areas of Punjab on the same dates.

Additionally, monsoon rains are expected in the divisions of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, and Gujrat.

The PDMA advised travellers and tourists to exercise caution and plan their travels according to weather conditions to avoid any untoward situations during the wet spell.

Farmers were also advised to manage their activities in light of the weather forecast.

Authorities in Punjab were also instructed to establish an efficient communication system via phone calls, SMS, and announcements to ensure timely dissemination of weather forecasts.

Last week, heavy rains in Punjab resulted in the deaths of 12 people and caused injuries to 27 others, with 14 houses collapsing, according to a fact sheet issued by the provincial PDMA on July 13.

The director general of the PDMA Punjab, Irfan Khatia, said monsoon from July 22 to 25 could cause heavy rain with thunderstorms, particularly in southern districts of Punjab on July 23 and 24.

“The situation is being monitored 24/7 in the PDMA control room, and the water levels in rivers and dams are currently normal,” he said.

Similarly, PDMA Sindh, in its weather alert for July 21 to July 27, warned that rainfall with chances of heavy falls could generate flash or urban flooding in municipalities, local nullahs, streams, and river tributaries.

The general public was advised to be cautious of loose structures like billboards, electrical poles, solar panels, hoardings, and under-construction buildings during the rains.