Pakistan’s Punjab province warns of potential river flooding amid heavy rain forecasts

ISLAMABAD: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab on Monday warned of river flooding amid forecasts of heavy rains in different parts of Pakistan over the next two days, directing all relevant departments to be on alert to deal with any contingencies.
Pakistan has witnessed 293 rain-related deaths since the onset of the monsoon in July, with the highest number of casualties, 112, reported in the country’s most populous province of Punjab. The region, home to five major rivers, is among the most fertile areas of Pakistan, though it is also prone to severe flooding during the rainy season.
In a statement issued during the day, the top PDMA official, Irfan Ali Kathia, also highlighted the risk of urban flooding in the province.
“Due to heavy rains in the upper regions of Punjab from September 3 to 4, there is a risk of flooding in rivers,” the PDMA announced in a statement, saying there was a risk of increased water flow in the Jhelum River at the Mangla Upstream point and flooding in the Ravi, Chenab and Indus rivers.
It informed that an alert had been issued to the relevant administration and departments in view of the potential heavy rains.
“There is a risk of urban flooding in major cities due to possible heavy rains,” the statement quoted Kathia as saying. “All basic facilities should be ensured in flood relief camps due to the possible flood risk.”
He instructed the disaster response teams of Rescue 1122 to be on high alert and directed his own department to keep the public informed about the weather conditions.
Pakistan is considered one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change.
Two years ago, it lost nearly 1,700 lives during monsoon flooding and suffered an estimated infrastructure damage of over $35 billion.