The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has put out a weather alert on Friday, flagging thunderstorms, heavy rain and hailstorms in parts of the country over the next 12 to 24 hours.
NDMA and National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) have said that the forecast was consistent with seasonal assessments issued months earlier, adding that a national monsoon conference convened on the prime minister’s directions had already taken care of pre-monsoon preparedness.
Authorities cautioned that glacier melt in the north could trigger Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), flash floods and landslides as temperatures climb.
The alert covers most of the country. In Punjab, the system could affect Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Narowal, Mandi Bahauddin, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Okara. Islamabad and surrounding areas may also see heavy rain and hailstorms at scattered locations.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) faces rain and strong winds across Chitral, Dir, Swat, Swabi, Kalam, Mingora, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat, Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan, with hailstorms expected in some districts.
In Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Kashmir, thunderstorms are likely across Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche, Shigar, Kharmang, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Poonch and Rawalakot.
Sindh’s warning covers Karachi, Hyderabad, Matli, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sujawal and Jamshoro.
In Balochistan, the system is forecast to affect Quetta, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Chaman, Loralai, Khuzdar, Qalat, Mastung, Ziarat, Sibi, Barkhan, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Surab, Hub, Gwadar and Kech.
