File photo. A. Majeed—AFP
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday issued a flood advisory for various parts of the country, particularly in Punjab, as it forecast heavy rains over the next 24 hours amidst reports of heavy inflows from India increasing threats to residents along riverbanks.
According to the PMD, “medium- to high-level flooding” is expected in River Ravi at Jassar, while “moderate” level flooding is expected in its nullahs over the next 24 hours. Similarly, it said, River Chenab was at medium-flood levels at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad, adding that all other major rivers were exhibiting normal flows.
The weather body forecast widespread wind thunderstorm/rain with heavy falls at isolated places, and very heavy falls at one or two places over the upper catchments of River Sutlej. “Scattered wind thunderstorm/rain of light to moderate intensity is expected over the upper catchments of rivers Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi along with Islamabad and Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Rawalpindi and Sargodha divisions. “Isolated thunderstorm/rain is expected over Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan divisions, along with northeast Balochistan and southeast Sindh,” it said, adding the current wet spell would likely subside over the next 48 hours.
In a posting on Twitter on Sunday, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman urged the public, authorities, and non-government organizations to exercise vigilance, warning that heavy rains coupled with thundershowers were expected to hit the country in the next 24-48 hours. “Forecast of rain impacts in the 24-48 hours in Pakistan. The highest amount of rainfall will be in Punjab’s cities like Lahore, Narowal, Sialkot. Other provinces have been alerted too for heavy to moderate rain,” she said, adding urban flooding alerts had been issued for cities and municipal areas with risks of landslides.
“Coordinated preparedness and proactive responses save lives, so all response teams, both public and NGOs in the affected areas need to stay vigilant, ready,” she said, citing an advisory issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). It also warned of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in Karachi, Tharparkar, Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Badin, and Shaheed Benazirabad.
“Thunderstorms and rainfall expected in northeastern Balochistan (Sibbi, Zhob, Kohlu, Qila Saifullah, Khuzdar, Barkhan, Loralai, Dera Bugti and Lasbela) and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Malam Jabba, Balakot,” read the NDMA advisory.
The NDMA has advised city and district administration to prepare contingency traffic plans for areas vulnerable to flooding in urban centers and stressed on prompt de-watering operations in flooded underpasses. It has also encouraged public awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas, especially the Marala Headworks on River Chenab and Jassar on River Ravi, warning flood flows are likely until July 20.
Meanwhile, India has released around 185,000 cusecs of water from the Ujh Barrage in Punjab into the Ravi River, endangering people living along its riverbanks and connected nullahs. On Sunday, authorities evacuated at least 95 people, including five Rangers personnel, who had been stranded near the Ravi and Tawi rivers after waters rose to dangerous levels.