The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast a fresh spell of widespread monsoon rains across the country from July 29 to August 5, warning of urban flooding, flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
According to the PMD, strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal will enter the upper and central parts of the country from July 29, while a westerly wave is expected to intensify from August 1, triggering widespread rain and thunderstorms.
Punjab, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan and surrounding districts, is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall. Similar weather is expected across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, Swat, Chitral, Abbottabad and Mansehra, where isolated very heavy downpours are also forecast.
In Sindh, Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Larkana and other districts are expected to experience rain and thunderstorms from July 31 to August 2. Parts of Balochistan, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are also likely to receive widespread rainfall during the period.
The Met Office warned that heavy rains could trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas of major cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. It also cautioned about flash floods in local streams and nullahs, while landslides remain a risk in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
