PMD warns of flooding in Pindi nullahs

Islamabad

While forecasting widespread monsoon rains across the country next week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has alerted the people and relevant authorities to the possibility of flooding in Rawalpindi’s nullahs.

It also issued a warning about landslides in hilly regions of the country due to sporadic rainfall.

Irfan Virk, deputy director at the PMD National Weather Forecasting Centre, Islamabad, told ‘The News’ on Saturday that widespread rains coupled with thunderstorm would fall in the country in the next week.

“The monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in upper parts of Pakistan from Sunday or Monday to grip most parts of the country during the mid week. Also, a westerly wave is expected to grip upper parts of the country during the mid week,” he said.

The weatherman said thundershowers with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall was expected at a number of places in Islamabad, upper Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad divisions, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir from Monday (July 10) to Thursday (July 13) and at scattered places in southern Punjab, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal divisions from Tuesday to Thursday.

He added that thundershowers with isolated heavy downpour would fall at scattered places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan between Tuesday and Thursday and moderate or heavy rains at scattered places in Sindh and eastern Balochistan's Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad and Kalat divisions from Friday to Sunday.

Mr Virk warned that heavy rainfall could generate urban flooding and flash floods in the nullahs of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and DG Khan divisions in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and AJK.

He also said there was high likelihood of the intermittent rains triggering landslides in hilly areas of KP’s Malakand and Hazara divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir next week.

The weatherman said all relevant authorities should remain on alert to meet rain-related emergencies.