PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued warning for severe weather in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the next 24 hours and asked administrations of all 26 districts to make full preparations to cope with any eventuality.

Local Met office also forecast heavy rains and hailstorms in Peshawar valley, Malakand and Hazara divisions on Saturday and Monday. An official said that an active westerly wave was likely to approach western parts of the country on Friday night and likely to persist in upper and central parts of the country during the next few days.

In a statement on Friday, PDMA said that rain-thundershower associated with gusty winds was expected at scattered places in KP and Fata. It said that rain-thundershowers accompanied by strong winds with isolated heavy falls were expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, and Mardan divisions during Saturday (night) and Sunday. Hailstorm was also expected at isolated places in Hazara, Peshawar and Kohat divisions, according to the alert.

District administrations were asked to be on high alert and focus on vulnerable areas of their respective districts to avoid any loss of lives and damage to public or private property.

The PDMA statement said that expected heavy rains could also trigger landslides and flash floods in upper parts of the province while residents living near the river banks were advised to take precautionary measures.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2015

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