PDMA issues flood alert in KP amid heavy rain forecast

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued a flash flood warning as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast continued wet weather in different areas of the province.

In its weather advisory, the provincial body said that downpours are likely to swell local streams and rivers today, with the risk of flooding in districts including Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan and Abbottabad. Persistent rain is likely to cause landslides in mountainous areas, threatening road access and cutting off remote communities, it added.

It noted that low-lying parts of Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan may also face urban flooding.

The PDMA has warned that strong winds and heavy showers could damage mud houses and fragile structures such as mud houses, walls, electricity poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.

Local administrations, police and rescue services have been placed on high alert, while the public and tourists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, keep away from riverbanks and stay updated to avoid any mishaps.

In its weather forecast, the PMD also warned of widespread heavy rains that could trigger flash floods and landslides in several parts of the country during the next 24 hours.

According to the forecast, strong downpours may cause flooding in local streams and rivers across Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi and Mardan.

Heavy showers are also expected in Murree, the Galliyat region.

In its weather forecast for other parts of the country, the Met Office said that heavy downpours are likely in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, north-eastern Punjab, Kashmir and Dera Ghazi Khan, raising the risk of overflowing seasonal waterways.

The national forecaster has cautioned that low-lying areas in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan may also face waterlogging.

The Met Office said that north-eastern Punjab could see particularly intense showers, while southern Punjab, north-eastern Balochistan and south-eastern Sindh are also likely to receive rain with thunder during the evening and night.