ISLAMABAD: The meteorology department said on Monday a fresh series of strong winds and rains were likely to start in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from today, Tuesday, just days after storms in the northwestern region caused several houses to collapse, leaving at least 25 people dead.
Last year, monsoon rains and flooding devastated Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people, affecting around 33 million people and displacing nearly 8 million.
To mitigate the effects of natural disasters, the government in its national budget draft presented Friday allocated $1.3 billion for climate resilience.
“New series of strong winds and rains are likely to start in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from tomorrow,” the Meteorology Department said, with the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority directing the district administration to take precautionary measures.
“Rains are likely to continue intermittently till June 18,” the statement said.
The DG PDMA warned that crops could be threatened by the rains, instructing the availability of small and heavy machinery by the district administration to clear rain water if necessary and calling on farmers to make “proper arrangements.”
He also said alerts should be delivered to tourists and local communities in local languages.
The news of more heavy rains in KP come as Pakistan is preparing to put in place emergency measures in advance of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea.
The “severe and intense” cyclone with wind speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) was on a course toward the country’s south, the disaster management agency said on Monday.
