Authorities alerted to rains

Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has alerted the authorities to the possibility of rains and flashfloods in the current month.

An official of the NDMA said as it’s the monsoon season, all relevant federal and provincial authorities had been told to remain alert and ensure the immediate cleaning of sewers and drains in all major cities, especially Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan and Peshawar.

He said there was a likelihood of heavy rains in DG Khan division and therefore, the NDMA had asked the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Punjab to sensitise the vulnerable communities, especially those living in hilly areas or along hills, to the possibility of torrents and precautionary measures. The annual monsoon rains often cause massive damage to public life and property in several parts of the country by triggering flash floods and mudslides. Recently, the rains and flash floods led to the destruction of houses and dozens of deaths in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.