Heavy monsoon rains, urban flooding expected nationwide in first week of August
Flash flood inundates Mahabdri Bazaar and Munawar Nullah, damaging stores and goods in Balakot. Travelers wait on Kaghan Highway after its closure by a landslide. PHOTOS: ZULFIQAR ALI/EXPRESS
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted heavy monsoon rains and urban flooding across the country from 1st to 6th August.
According to the PMD, from 31st July to 6th August, Kashmir and Muzaffarabad are expected to experience heavy rain with strong winds and thunderstorms, with hailstorms likely in some areas.
From 1st to 6th August, various regions, including Punjab, Islamabad, and Sargodha, are forecasted to have thunderstorms and heavy rain, with potential for severe storms in some locations. From 2nd to 6th August, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Dera Ghazi Khan are expected to receive heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms.
The PMD also forecasts heavy rain with thunderstorms in Chitral, Dir, Swat, and Swabi from 1st to 6th August, and similar conditions in eastern Balochistan.
Also read: Monsoon rains expected across Punjab in next 24 hours
In Sindh, from 2nd to 6th August, heavy rain with thunderstorms is anticipated in Mithi, Umarkot, Thatta, and Badin, while Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to face heavy rains from 3rd to 6th August.
From 2nd to 5th August, heavy rain is likely to cause flooding in hilly areas and streams in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and other regions. Urban flooding is also a concern for Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Narowal during the same period.
The PMD warns that heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds could lead to traffic disruptions and damage to weak infrastructure due to landslides in the mountainous areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, and Galiyat, as well as in Balochistan.
The PMD has advised all relevant authorities to remain alert.