Lahore:
Pakistan authorities have expressed a red alert while the heavy monsoon rains continue to fight against the wide expanses of the country, triggering sudden floods, landslides and growing river levels.
The drawback – planned to intensify until July 25 – has already made a living at least 13 lives in the last 24 hours, with dozens injured, according to official figures.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) provides persistent rains and thunderstorms in the upper and central regions, notably Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Punjab, Cachemire, Gilgit-Baltistan and in certain parts of Balochistan.
Strong precipitation can trigger sudden floods in local streams and voids in the Chitral, DIR, Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad and other hilly areas. Urban floods are also planned in low parts of major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Peshawar.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 216 people died and 582 injured since the start of the Mousson season on June 26. More than 770 houses would have collapsed due to rain -related incidents.
In Punjab, the fourth rains of Mousson rains is underway, which caused emergency alerts of the province of disaster management (PDMA).
Authorities have warned that this spell could be more intense than those previous, with high impact precipitation planned in Rawalpindi, Murrier, Galliyat, Chakwal, Gujrat and other central and north districts. The southern regions such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan are also preparing for storms.
The increase in water levels in the main rivers has raised concerns about potential floods. The PDMA has issued warnings concerning the increase in flow in Ravi, Jhelum, Sutlej and Chenab rivers. The Industry river has already reached average flood levels in Taunsa, with a speed exceeding 420,000 CUSECs. Low level floods are also observed in Tarbela, Kalabagh and Chashma.
As a precaution, emergency intervention teams have been deployed in key locations. Rescue 1122 mobilized boats and staff in areas subject to floods, while the health service has created medical camps. In the Shahdara de Lahore region, the water level in the Ravi river exceeded 8,900 Cuses – approving the flood alert.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed that all district administrations have been invited to remain on alert. Article 144 was imposed around rivers and watercourses to restrict public access, and field agents were responsible for closely monitoring vulnerable areas. The machines and staff were deployed to strangulation points to ensure effective drainage and emergency intervention.
Meanwhile, the Department Met refuted the allegations of social media of a “Cloudburst” in Chakwal on July 17, which claimed precipitation greater than 423 mm. The department confirmed that real recorded precipitation was only 142.2 mm, and that no cloud was detected by the Doppler radar or the stations on the ground.
The PMD warned that the spread of disinformation can cause the public and urged the media to check the data before the publication.
Residents of Pakistan are invited to remain cautious, to avoid areas subject to floods and to follow the official advice while the monsoon activity continues. The PMD predicts that the rains will probably persist until at least July 26, with an additional disturbance potential depending on the evolution weather conditions.
The governor of Punjab, Sardar Saleem Haider, visited Sunday the areas affected by the floods of Chakwal. Local administration – including DCO, DPO and PDMA officials – knew the governor about the situation on the ground.
Speaking on occasion, Governor Saleem Haider said that the Pakistani peoples’ party (PPP) would not leave the victims of the floods alone. He provided any possible support to compensate for the houses carried away in flood waters.
The governor also encountered victims of the floods and expressed deep sadness of the loss of lives and goods. He reaffirmed his commitment to ensure the complete rehabilitation of the areas affected by the floods.
During his visit to the Dohman region, he inspected the damage caused by sudden floods and noted that generalized rains inflicted serious damage in several regions of the country. He called on all the segments of the company to associate with the government in help and rehabilitation efforts.
