LAHORE: With heavy monsoon rain continuing to pound north Punjab, upper parts of the country and Azad Kashmir on Thursday, the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said a well-marked low pressure spotted over Andhra Pradesh, India, would likely generate rain also over lower Sindh and Balochistan from Saturday to Monday.

The monsoonal low pressure will be the third one to hit Pakistan in the season. The second, and current, system has already produced heavy to very heavy rain in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Though weakened a bit, the system produced rain-thunderstorm at a number of places in Punjab, the Islam­abad Capital Terri­tory, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kash­mir and Gilgit-Bal­tis­tan. It also rained in Karachi and parts of Balochistan.

Reports received from Cha­r­sadda and Muzaffar­abad said that rainwater entered many houses and public buildings there. Rain destroyed fruit crops in North Waziristan.

Rains over Zhob, Loralai, Kohlu, Barkhan and the Koh-i-Suleiman region produced flash floods there. Rainwater washed away a dual carriageway in Musakhel region.

Meanwhile, the Met department advised the authorities concerned to remain alert from Sunday to Wednesday in view of a new system hitting the country.

The National Disaster Man­­agement Authority issued a warning, asking the officials concerned to be vigi­lant over the possibility of flash floods in the country.

As many as 53 people have already been killed in flash floods and rain-related incidents since June 26.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2017