PMD forecasts fresh spell of monsoon rains across country from July 29 to August 5

A fresh spell of rainfall is expected in the country from July 29 to August 5, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Tuesday as several parts of the country reeled from a preceding spell and subsequent flooding.

“Monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are likely to penetrate upper and central parts of the country from July 29,” the Met Office said in its forecast, adding that a westerly wave currently affecting northern areas would likely strengthen from August 1 and affect most of the upper and central parts of the country.

Kashmir

According to the forecast, rainfall accompanied by wind or thundershowers is expected in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur from the night of July 28 to August 5 with occasional gaps.

Punjab

In Punjab, scattered heavy to very heavy showers are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Okara, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Khushab, Mianwali, Layyah, Bhakkar, Noorpurthal, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Pakpattan from July 29 to August 4 with occasional gaps, the Met Office said.

It added that in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanpur, Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, thundershowers with scattered heavy showers are expected from July 31 to August 3 with occasional gaps.

KP

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rainfall with wind and thundershowers is expected in Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Karak, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Swabi, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Kurram, DI Khan, Bannu, Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Hangu from July 29 to August 5 with occasional gaps, according to the forecast.

GB

For Gilgit-Baltistan, the Met Office predicted rainfall and thunderstorms with moderate to heavy falls in Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, and Shigar from the evening or night of July 28 to August 6 with occasional gaps.

Balochistan

The Met Office further forecast rain-wind/thundershowers (with isolated heavy falls) in eastern/ southern parts of Balochistan including Zhob, Sherani, Loralai, Kohlu, Sibbi, Kalat, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad, Barkhan, Dera Bugti and Khuzdar, Lasbella, Awaran, Turbat, Kech, Panjgur, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar from July 31 to August 3 with occasional gaps.

Sindh

In Sindh, rain and thundershowers with isolated moderate to heavy falls is expected in Tharparkar, Umer Kot, Mirpur Khas, Badin, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Karachi, Mityari, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Khairpur, Nausheroferoze and Thatta districts from the evening of July 31 to August 2 with occasional gaps.

PMD warned that heavy rainfall may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad from July 30 to August 4.

In Sindh, PMD warned of urban flooding in Nawabshah, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Khairpur, Mithi, Mirpur Khas, Umer Kot, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar from July 31 to August 2.

It also warned of landslides in KP, particularly Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Buner, Battagram, Mansehra, Haripur, Abbottabad and in GB, Murree, Galliyat, and Kashmir, from July 30 to August 5.

According to the advisory, heavy rainfall may also produce flash floods in “local streams/nullahs of Kashmir, Murree, Galliyat, northeastern Punjab, Islamabad, KP, GB, hill torrents of DG Khan and northeastern parts of Balochistan during the forecast period”.

It advised tourists to exercise caution during the forecast period.

Starting from June 25, 109 people have lost their lives in the monsoon season, and 360 have been injured, according to the latest estimate issued by NDMA, with the highest number of casualties in KP at 55, followed by Punjab at 36, eight in Balochistan, seven in AJK, two in Sindh and one casualty in GB. ...