ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) — The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a weather alert, warning of rain, thunderstorms and strong winds in various parts of the country over the next 12 hours.
According to the NDMA, several districts of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to receive scattered rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
In Punjab, rainfall is forecast in areas including Mianwali, Khushab, Chakwal, Talagang, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Layyah, Multan, Kot Addu, Bahawalnagar, Hasilpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain and strong winds are expected in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Karak, Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Swat, Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla, Buner, Mohmand, Khyber and Waziristan.
The alert also covers parts of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Dadu, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Ghotki.
Rain with thunderstorms is also expected in several districts of Azad Kashmir, including Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Poonch, Bagh, Haveli, Kotli and Mirpur, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan areas including Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Nagar, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche, Shigar and Kharmang.
NDMA warned that heavy rainfall and thunderstorms may cause slippery roads, reduced visibility and damage to electricity systems and vulnerable infrastructure due to strong winds.
The authority advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and follow precautionary measures during the adverse weather conditions.