ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a nationwide weather alert, warning of landslides, flash floods and urban flooding as an active monsoon system is expected to bring widespread heavy rainfall across northern and central Pakistan from Monday night through Wednesday.
According to the PMD, landslides are likely in the mountainous areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Buner, Mansehra and Abbottabad, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galiyat and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The department also warned of flash floods in hill torrents and seasonal streams across Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, northeastern Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, the hilly areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and northeastern Balochistan during the forecast period.
Heavy rainfall may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Multan and Faisalabad.
The PMD cautioned that strong winds, heavy rain and lightning could damage weak structures, including solar panels, electricity poles and billboards.
The department said moist monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are penetrating the upper parts of the country and are expected to intensify from Monday night. A westerly weather system is also likely to affect the upper and central regions.
Over the next 24 hours, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad, upper and central Punjab, northeastern Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to receive widespread rain accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms, with isolated moderate to heavy downpours.
Similar weather conditions are forecast to continue on Tuesday, with intermittent rainfall, thunderstorms and heavy showers expected in the same regions. Meanwhile, southern parts of the country are likely to remain hot and humid.
During the past 24 hours, rain accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms was recorded in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, the Potohar region and Astore, while hot and humid weather prevailed across most other parts of the country.
Murree recorded the highest rainfall at 106 mm, followed by Balakot (57 mm), Kakul (56 mm), Malam Jabba (54 mm), Kotli (29 mm) and several parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The highest temperatures recorded on Monday were 48°C in Dalbandin and Nokundi, while Sibi recorded 46°C.
