The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that a fresh spell of monsoon rains will enter the country on August 29 and is likely to continue intermittently until September 2, bringing heavy to moderate rainfall in many regions.
According to the Met Office report, strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal will penetrate the upper parts of Pakistan starting today. At the same time, a westerly wave is also expected to enter the upper and central regions of the country from August 30.
As a result of these weather conditions, heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms are expected in several districts of Azad Kashmir, including Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhnoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur, from August 29 to September 2. In Gilgit-Baltistan, districts including Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, and Shigar are also likely to receive rainfall between August 30 and September 1.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, districts such as Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kohat, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan will also experience heavy rainfall during the same period.
Punjab, already struggling with devastating floods, is expected to see heavy to very heavy rains across nearly all districts, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal, and several districts of South Punjab. In Sindh, districts such as Mithi, Tharparkar, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, and Umerkot are likely to receive rain on August 30 and 31, while Balochistan’s Barkhan, Musakhel, Loralai, Sibi, Zhob, Kalat, and Khuzdar districts are expected to receive rainfall between August 30 and September 1.
The Meteorological Department has warned that flash floods and landslides may occur in the mountainous regions of Kashmir, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It further cautioned that urban flooding could develop in major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Nowshera, and Mardan.
