Most parts of country brace for heavy rains

Pakistan is bracing for significant rainfall as the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) of the Meteorological Department predicts heavy to very heavy showers across parts of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan until August 4.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is closely monitoring river flows, dams, and barrages. Currently, low-level flooding is reported in the Indus River at Kalabagh and Chashma. The prevailing weather system is expected to persist until August 5.

A low-pressure system over Rajasthan, India, combined with strong monsoon currents, is anticipated to cause widespread rain in central and eastern Punjab, as well as parts of Sindh and Balochistan. This is likely to increase water levels in eastern rivers like the Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas. The Chenab River may rise to low-to-medium flood levels, with a possibility of reaching high flood levels at Head Marala under exceptionally high inflows.

The FFD also warned of potential flash flooding in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, streams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan, and other vulnerable catchment areas. Urban flooding is a serious concern for several Punjab cities, including Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal, and Faisalabad.

Water flows are expected to increase in tributaries of the Jhelum, Chenab, and Ravi rivers. While the Indus River is currently at low flood levels at several points, other major rivers are flowing below the low flood level. The forecast includes widespread rain, wind, and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls expected over Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan, as well as scattered rain in the upper catchments of major rivers and other regions.