RAWALPINDI: The Met Depart­ment on Sunday issued a countrywide advisory of heavy rain from Monday night, with hailstorms resulting in urban flooding.

The advisory cautioned district administrations to remain alert to avoid flood-like situations. The weather system is expected to last till July 8.

The moist currents from the Arabian Sea are likely to penetrate the upper parts of the country and a westerly wave is also likely to enter the region, said the advisory.

Rain spells and thunderstorm with scattered hailstorms are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kurram, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Mianwali, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh.

Downpour advisory issued for all provinces, GB; hill torrents may hit Balochistan

Rain is also predicted in Barkhan, Loralai, Sibi, Naseerabad, Kalat, Khuzdar, Zhob, Lasbela, Awaran, Musakhel, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Waziristan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal and Okara from July 5 to 8.

From July 7 to 8, Sukkur, Jacobabad Ghotki, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, Mithi, Chhor, Padidan, Nagarparkar, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Mirpur Khas, Dadu, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad and Karachi are expected to receive rain.

The advisory warned that heavy rain may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Lahore and trigger landslides in vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from July 4 to 7. Downpours may cause flash floods in areas of D.G. Khan and adjoining areas of northeast Balochistan from July 6 to 8.

Farmers and tourists have been advised to plan activities according to the weather forecast.

Meanwhile, the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) also warned of rain in northern catchments of all major rivers during the next week, according to APP.

This could result in flash flooding in the hill torrents of D.G. Khan Division, local nullahs of northern Balochistan and small rivers of Bannu, Kohat and D.I. Khan.

The FFC daily report stated that the Kabul River continues to flow in low flood at Nowshera while rivers Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej have normal flows.

Leh Nullah cleared

In light of the advisory, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) said it has completed arrangements to avoid flood-like situations in low-lying areas of Rawalpindi.

Wasa Managing Director Mohammad Tanveer told Dawn that the cleaning of Leh Nullah would be completed by Monday (today) after the Punjab government released Rs30 million for the purpose. He added that lateral sewers measuring 190km, secondary sewers (49km) and trunk sewers (35km) have also been cleared.

The plan for the monsoon had been finalised and teams deployed to different areas of the city in case of heavy rains while the machinery that may be needed had been repaired.

The garrison city has been divided into four sectors to deal with water-logging complaints. Flood Response Units have been established at Liaquat Bagh, Moti Mehal, Commercial Market, Satellite Town, Bagh Sardaran and Khyaban-i-Sir Syed.

He said heavy machinery of Wasa, including six sucker machines, five jetting machines, five sewer cleaning rodding machines, 28 dewatering sets and 24 water bowsers, are operational and deployed to Flood Response Units.

Last month, around 30 people died in rain-related incidents in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when pre-monsoon rains ravaged many areas.

The deaths were attributed to lightning strikes, electrocution and roof collapse incidents.

Many areas of northern and central Balochistan, including Quetta, also received heavy rains and hailstorms. The extreme weather disrupted life as it caused damage to houses and other infrastructure. The rain led to flash floods in Ziarat with water entering residential areas.

In GB, a large number of travellers were left stranded after the Karakoram Highway and its connecting roads were cut off after a spell of heavy rain in KP. The areas of Bisham, Kohistan, Battagram and Torghar districts were affected as heavy rains resulted in flooding. Roads were closed as gushing water brought down debris, cutting the highway off at over 30 points.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2023