ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is witnessing rising water levels in rivers due to monsoon rains, according to an official statement on Wednesday, with the country’s most populous Punjab province expected to experience additional rainfall in the next 24 hours.

The monsoon season is crucial for the region, providing essential water for agriculture, which is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.

However, unprecedented cloudbursts driven by climate change have increasingly turned this vital weather pattern into a threat, as seen in the devastating 2022 floods that caused an estimated $35 billion in losses and claimed over 1,700 lives.

“There is a likelihood of monsoon rains in most districts of Punjab in the next 24 hours,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab said in a statement. “Due to monsoon rains, the water levels in rivers, dams, and streams are rising.”

The statement informed the Indus River was experiencing a low-level flood situation at the Tarbela and Kalabagh points, adding a medium to high-level flood situation may develop in the Jhelum River at Mangla from August 1 to 4.

It said the monsoon rain spell was expected to continue until August 4 and may also cause flooding in the Chenab River at Marala, Khanki, and Qadirabad.

“Arrangements are complete in vulnerable districts in anticipation of potential flood threats,” PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia was quoted as saying in the statement. “Citizens are advised to take precautions during the rainy season and follow government instructions.”

Kathia said the provincial administration and all relevant departments were on alert to deal with the situation.