Various areas in twin cities Islamabad and Rawalpindi were inundated in the early hours of Thursday as a strong monsoon spell hit the country, prompting the administration to impose emergency in the capital and garrison cities.
The water level continued to rise in Lai Nullah due to which the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) issued an alert.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has ordered to clear the drain amid downpour.
Meanwhile, intermittent rain continued to lash areas of Lahore and Karachi, turning weather pleasant.
Besides, various parts of Balochistan were shut down for traffic as pluvial flooding continued to wreak havoc across the province.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)’s National Emergencies Operation Center anticipated that extremely heavy rainfall over upper catchments of Rivers Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej may cause an increase in water flows in these rivers.
Consequently, medium to High Level Flood flows is expected in River Chenab along with Nullahs of Rivers Chenab and Ravi from August 10-13. Moreover, flows in River Sutlej are subject to releases from Indian Side likely to trigger flash flooding and land sliding in hilly and mountainous regions of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in next 24 to 48 hours, an NDMA news release said.
“Heavy rains may cause urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, and other urban areas. Rain-wind / thundershowers with isolated very heavy falls expected in Kalat, Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Khuzdar, Awaran and Barkhan. In KP, rain-wind / thundershowers with isolated very heavy falls expected in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Galiyat, Haripur, Buner, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Malakand, Mohmand, Khyber, Bajaur, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kohat and Orakzai,” it said.
Parts of Punjab are likely to experience Rain-wind /thundershowers with isolated very heavy falls expected in Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur, Khushab, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakkar and D.G. Khan. Furthermore, higher temperatures & rains may trigger GLOF Incidents in vulnerable valleys of KP and GB
The public has been advised to stay informed by keeping track of weather updates and alerts. NDMA has launched the Pak NDMA Disaster Alert application, available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store, to provide timely alerts, advisories, and guidelines to the public. Additional guidance is available on NDMA Website and Pak NDMA Alert app available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store. Population at risk is advised to take stay cautious and follow instructions from local authorities.