New rain spell: Cabinet declares monsoon emergency, says Sherry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman said that after the cabinet declared a Monsoon Emergency for the next round of rains starting tomorrow, all provinces and district administrations, National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities need to act now to take as many preventive measures as possible.

Through her tweets on Friday, Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman warned the citizens of more rains in the coming weeks of August for which the cabinet has declared a Monsoon Emergency. The minister said according to the Pakistan Met department, the country will experience more rains in the coming week. Islamabad, Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh will receive heavy rainfall from 6th to 9th of August, she said. Furthermore, she said besides these areas, Gilgit Baltistan will also experience strong winds and thundershowers from the 10th to 13th of August and all the relevant federal and provincial agencies have been advised to stay on alert and take necessary precautions. She said all district commissioners and provincial administrations should be mobilized to prevent the loss of lives.

Senator Sherry Rehman said the levels of Chenab, Jhelum and Ravi are likely to rise with a risk of flash flooding in local rivers and Nullahs in the majority of the cities and towns in these provinces.

She advised the travellers and tourists to devise their itinerary in consideration of the weather conditions and be more careful while travelling especially in the Northern Areas and Kashmir as rainfall may trigger landslides there as well in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamir, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer and Skardu during these days.

The Minister for Climate Change said the effects of climate change continue to exacerbate in the country as we have experienced a lengthy heatwave, GLOFs (glacial lake outburst floods) and forest fires. She said Balochistan recorded more than 600 per cent above normal rainfall during the monsoon spell since mid-June, while Sindh received 500 per cent more rain. “Major cities are being warned against urban flooding, prolonged electricity outages, and flash floods,” she said.

Senator Sherry Rehman said the federal government is making assessments of the damages caused by the rains while the prime minister has visited many flood-hit areas himself along with ministerial committees. NDMA, PDMAs, and provincial and district administrations continue to survey disaster-struck areas for damage and need assessment.