Monsoon rains likely to start from today

ISLAMABAD: Relief from the current heat wave is likely as monsoon rains are expected to hit parts of Pakistan from today (June 26) till the beginning of July, according to the meteorological department.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a comprehensive monsoon forecast for July, highlighting the potential impact of rainfall across various regions of the country, which has been facing a severe heat wave since last month, with temperatures in some regions rising to above 50 degrees Celsius.

“Rains predicted in the country from June 26 to July 1,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in a statement. “Monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal likely to penetrate eastern parts of the country from June 26.”

Met office has warned that heavy rains could cause flash floods in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala and Narowal hilly areas of Kashmir from June 28-30.

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In the province of Sindh, the PMD said rain and thundershowers with isolated heavy rainfall were expected in Mithi, Umarkot, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Badin, Thatta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nausheroferoze, Khairpur, Dadu, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmore and Larkana districts.

For the country’s Punjab province, the statement said Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Okara, Kasur, Khushab, Sargodha, Bhakkar and Mianwali would receive rainfall from June 27 onwards.

“Rain and thundershowers are expected in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, D.G. Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rahimyar Khan and Layyah from June 26-30,” it added.

The statement said heavy rainfall was also expected in the Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Hangu and Kurram districts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from June 28.

With regards to the country’s largest province Balochistan, the PMD said thundershowers were predicted in Lasbella, Khuzdar, Awaran, Jhal Magsi, Kalat, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Zhob and Barkhan districts from June 26-28.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, rain and thunderstorms were expected in Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar whereas Kashmir’s Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur can also receive rainfall from June 28.

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