The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted another prolonged spell of wet weather that will start from July 29.
It is expected that the upper catchments of all major rivers will be impacted by this new system. It means that Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, upper Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are all included.
The encouraging message for the time being is that no rain expected over the next 7 days will bring the flood threat. That will afford the impacted areas a short window before the next system arrives.
PMD anticipates spotty rain, wind storms and thunderstorms in the next 24 hours. This includes upper river catchments in Pakistan, Islamabad city administration, AJK and GB as well as part of KP, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
The forecast is milder in Karachi in particular. Light rain and some drizzle are expected in the city the next two days but not the heavier rain in the north, the PMD.
This is the latest prediction in a particularly harsh monsoon. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) data released from June 26 to July 25 showed nationwide deaths have surpassed 100 due to the rains this year.
The highest number of fatalities occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with 52 already reported. Punjab is next with 29 fatalities, followed by AJK (7), Balochistan (6), Sindh (2) and the remainder in GB.
There have been parallel response operations. Provincial officials alone have handed out 386 relief materials in the last 24 hours, and rescue teams have conducted five relief operations, saving 8 people, says NDMA.
Up to now, 130 rescue operations have been made so far across the country since the beginning of this year monsoon. All of these activities have resulted in the saving of 3,841 persons from flood and related emergencies.
This season rainfall has been unprecedented in some areas. Lahore received its maximum amount of rain for the year with 263mm of rain received at the airport and flood water in the surrounding area stalled the cities life.
This one spell, from 24th to 27th July, received widespread rains and thundershowers all over Sindh, southern, central Punjab, KP, GB, Kashmir and in north-eastern Balochistan. It was concluded that the low-pressure system over the southern part of Rajasthan was responsible for it.
The country flood response is being reviewed in the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) which has been led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. River level and hill torrents are still being monitored as more systems continue to move through.
Public officials have issued another warning to remain cautious, especially in low-lying urban areas where flooding is possible and in hilly areas, where landslides are still a risk, with the other spell projected to arrive on July 29. People affected in the northern areas are urged to pay attention to the official updates from the PMD and NDMA as the system moves in the next couple of days.
