Monsoon: Brace yourself for howling winds and water woes
Pakistan
Rain, accompanied by cool breeze, rid people of sultry weather in parts of Punjab
Monsoon system has been activated and the current rain spell will continue till July 21 (Sunday)
Weather experts warn of urban flooding, landslide in vulnerable areas
NDMA launches Pak NDMA Disaster Alert app on Google PlayStore and iOS App Store to provide timely alerts and guidelines
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Rain, accompanied by cool breeze, on Thursday rid people of sultry weather in several parts of Punjab including Lahore and adjacent areas.
As the mercury dipped, there was a palpable sense of relief all around. The maximum temperature in Lahore and thereabouts hovered around 35 degrees Celsius – a drastic reduction from the dreaded 45 degrees Celsius which, coupled with mugginess, made the weather unbearable in the last few days.
The rain – moderate to heavy – had its downside too. Low-lying areas in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhelum and Rawalpindi were submerged under water. Motorists and commuters faced a great deal of difficulty in travel on Thursday morning.
It also rained with thunderstorm in Murree, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, making weather pleasant.
Households also faced inconvenience as power supply as usual became the first casualty of showers and windstorm. Many parts of Lahore and other cities faced erratic electricity supply or breakdown.
Also Read: Weather turns pleasant as Lahore, other cities receive rain
According to the Meteorological Department, the moonsoon rainfall system is set to be activated today (Thursday) and the current spell will continue till July 21 (Sunday).
The weather pundits have also forecast rainfall in Islamabad, KP, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
A week earlier, heavy rain lashed Lahore and its adjoining areas. The showers made the weather somewhat pleasant but disrupted the power supply leading to agonising experience for people in many areas. Low-lying areas turned puddles.
Islamabad and Rawalpindi also had downpour, triggering warning of urban flooding.
The country has been in the grip of hot and sultry weather conditions for the last few months, with temperatures soaring past 45 degrees Celsius in most parts.
IMPENDING FLASH FLOODS, URBAN FLOODING
As the rains proclaim the onset of monsoon, the PMD has warned that torrential rains may cause flash floods, urban flooding and landslides in the vulnerable areas from July 18 to 21.
Earlier, it had issued a similar warning from July 5 to 7.
“Torrential rains will cause flash floods in drains or streams of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Dir, Swat, Kashmir and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan,” it said.
Downpours, officials said, could cause urban flooding in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Peshawar.
It has directed the PDMA and district and city administrations to be on their toes amid rainfall.
NDMA ADVISORY
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) says more than 50mm rain is expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala and Sialkot.
There is also risk of landslide in Murree, Galyat, Kashmir and KP, says NDMA.
The National Emergencies Operation Center (a subsidiary of NDMA) has warned of possible glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) in the mountainous regions of KP and Gilgit-Baltistan due to rising temperatures and expected heavy rainfall.
According to the center, this may lead to increased water levels in local rivers and streams, causing landslides and flash flooding.
The NDMA has launched Pak NDMA Disaster Alert application available on Google PlayStore and iOS App Store to provide timely alerts, advisories, and guidelines to the public.
Earlier, the NEOC forecast rains and floods in many areas of the country.
According to a report, in case of possible release of water from India, the flow of water in the rivers is likely to rise further.
It also issued a warning to the public to avoid crossing flooded areas, while tourists and travellers in particular should be watchful.
FLOOD ALERT
The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), a few days ago, reported that a medium to high level flood was expected in rivers Jhelum, Chenab and Kabul from July 4 to 7.
According to the FFD, the river Kabul at Nowshera was in medium flood whereas all the major rivers were flowing below low flood level.
It added that flows were also likely to increase in the drains of Ravi and Chenab. “Urban flooding risk persists in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Peshawar,” says FFD.
