The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday issued Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), flash floods, and landslide alert in vulnerable glaciated regions of GilgitBaltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from August 23, reported 24NewsHDTV Channel.
Moreover, Met office has also predicted heavy rain and flooding alert with thunderstorms across the country from August 23 to 29. According to the PMD, heavy rains are expected in most areas of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from August 23 to 27, while Sindh and eastern Balochistan may experience rain till August 29. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heavy rainfall is predicted from August 23 to 26, while Islamabad and various parts of Punjab are also likely to receive showers during the same period.
Rain lashes various parts of the country on Friday. The department has advised citizens to remain cautious, warning that heavy downpours could affect low-lying areas and disrupt daily activities in major cities. The Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain, wind, and thundershowers with scattered heavy to very heavy falls in central and lower Sindh as well as southern Balochistan today. According to the advisory, torrential rains may trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas.
Pakistan has witnessed an extraordinary shift in weather patterns this month with the country recording 250pc more rainfall than usual between August 11 and 21. The sharp increase follows a dry spell in the first 10 days of August when rainfall was 60 to 99% below normal levels.
The Met Office reported that regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan saw 235% more rainfall than average, while Sindh experienced a dramatic turnaround — moving from 99% below normal rainfall in the first 10 days of August to 155% above normal rainfall in the following days. Southern areas of Pakistan, including Sindh, also benefited from widespread showers.
With the eighth spell of monsoon rains expected to begin tomorrow, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has issued a high-level flood alert. Officials warn of rising water levels in rivers across the province, especially in the Sutlej River, where the water flow at Ganda Singh Wala has already reached 100,000 cusecs.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued alert for a new monsoon system is likely to enter the upper parts of the country from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal starting tomorrow night.
The eighth spell of monsoon will bring heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of the Sutlej River. According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC), as of 6 am, the rainfall has increased to 122,890 cusecs. The flow is continuously increasing at Ganda Singh Wala where the flow can reach 1,20,000 cusecs, while the flow at head Sulemanki is likely to reach about 100,000 cusecs.
The NDMA with collaboration of Provincial Disaster Management Authority Punjab is taking steps to evacuate the populations from the banks of the Sutlej River. The related populations should be aware and prepared for possible evacuation instructions issued by local authorities. Protect livestock and secure agricultural assets through appropriate precautions.
The PDMA spokesperson added that the surge is partly due to water releases from Indian reservoirs, increasing the risk of flooding in adjacent districts.
There is a possibility of an increase in the water flow in upper reaches of rivers from August 23 to 27. From the night of August 22, westerly winds will enter the upper reaches of the province and bring more rain in Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, and Wazirabad.
Rain is also predicted in Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Jhang, Mianwali, Khushab, Toba Tek Singh, and Nankana Sahib, while southern districts such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Bahawalnagar are also likely to experience heavy downpours.