Pre-Monsoon Alert: Heavy rains forecast across the country from June 25-30, risk of urban flooding

• The Meteorological Department has predicted that a series of westerly winds will enter the upper regions from June 25, resulting in heavy rains and thunderstorms till June 30, while there is a risk of urban flooding in urban areas and floods and landslides in hilly areas.
  
  
• 16 districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declared sensitive
• Fear of urban flooding in Islamabad and Punjab amid heavy rains

Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman has said that the Meteorological Department has predicted pre-monsoon rains across the country from today to June 30, due to which the current severe heat wave is likely to decrease.

In a Twitter message, Sherry Rehman said that between June 25 and 30, strong winds, thunder, and heavy rain are expected in various cities of Punjab, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Under the influence of this system, wind, thunder, and heavy rain are likely to occur in various cities of Balochistan, South Punjab, and Sindh between June 26 and June 29. In the case of heavy rains, there is a fear of urban flooding in urban areas, while floods and landslides in mountainous areas,” Federal Minister notified.

According to Sherry Rehman: ‘All concerned and local bodies have been instructed to be alert and tourists to be cautious. Citizens are requested to stay away from vulnerable infrastructure, power poles, and rivers during strong winds and rains to avoid any untoward incident.’

On June 26 and 27 due to heavy rain, there is a risk of urban flooding in the low-lying areas of Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Gujranwala, while there is also a risk of landslides in Murree.

With the forecast of pre-monsoon rains in the country, the disaster management agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have prepared a timely emergency plan to avoid the ravages of monsoon rains and classified 16 districts as ‘sensitive’ and ‘highly sensitive’ categories.

According to the strategy developed in collaboration with the Department of Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, District Administration, and others in the context of predictions, the 10 districts which have been declared as very sensitive (very high risk) include Upper and Lower Chitral, Swat. , Upper Kohistan, Upper Dir, Shangla, Charsadda, Nowshera, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan.

Similarly, six sensitive (high-risk) districts include Malakand, Torghar, Lower Dir, Lower Kohistan, Kulai Pass Kohistan, and Peshawar.