ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s meteorological department on Saturday warned of another spell of heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds across much of the country starting Sunday evening, raising the risk of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.
The advisory comes as Pakistan has recorded nearly 70 weather-related deaths amid torrential rains and gusty winds that have lashed parts of the country since mid-March, causing walls and roofs to collapse across several districts.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said a western disturbance was expected to enter Balochistan on Sunday evening and persist in upper parts of the country until Apr. 9.
“Widespread rain-windstorm/thunderstorm (with isolated heavyfalls/hailstorm) is expected in several parts of the country during the period,” it said in the advisory, warning of particularly intense weather in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Islamabad and parts of Balochistan.
The PMD said heavy rains could trigger flash floods in parts of Kashmir, northeast Balochistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between Apr. 6 and 8, while urban flooding is likely in cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Sialkot over the same period.
Landslides are also expected in mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, potentially disrupting travel, while strong winds, hail and lightning may damage weak structures and standing crops, it added.
The advisory urged tourists and travelers to avoid unnecessary movement during the forecast period, while farmers were asked to take precautionary measures to protect crops.
The Met Office also said temperatures were expected to drop during the period and urged relevant authorities to remain vigilant and take necessary measures to avoid any untoward situation.
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and has in recent years experienced increasingly erratic weather patterns, including extreme rainfall, floods and heatwaves that have exposed gaps in infrastructure and disaster preparedness.
The country is still recovering from catastrophic floods in 2022 that killed more than 1,700 people and affected over 33 million, while last year’s monsoon season also triggered widespread flooding, killing more than 900 people.
