Another rainy spell likely from tomorrow

KARACHI: The entire upcountry is likely to see another monsoonal rainy spell from August 13 till 16, which may also cause floods and landslides, the Met Office said on Friday.

Moderate monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and a westerly wave are likely to enter upcountry on August 13, which may produce rains, winds, thundershowers with some isolated downpours.

Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur, Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche and Shigar are likely to receive rain, wind-thundershowers and a few moderate to heavy falls in intermittent spells from August 13 till 16.

Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera Galliyat, Murree, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Kasur and Sheikhupura may also see the rainy weather over the period.

Rain and wind-thundershowers are also expected in Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Waziristan, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Bhakkar from August 14 to 16.

In occasional gaps, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Musa Khel, Barkhan, Zhob, Kalat and Khuzdar are also likely to experience rains on August 15 and 16.

Rains may increase water flows in local nullahs, streams of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi and Islamabad from August 14 till 16, the Met said.

Moderate to heavy falls are likely to cause urban floods in low lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore on August 14 and 15, which may also trigger landslides in Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Growers should manage their farming activities keeping in view the rainy weather, while local public and tourists should also remain alert over the period.

Wind-thunderstorm may damage loose structures like electric poles, solar panels. “All concerned authorities are advised to remain alert and to take necessary precautionary measure during the forecast period,” the Met said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023