RAWALPINDI: The Meteorological Department issued a red alert to the administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Tuesday to make arrangement for any flood-like situation.

The Met Office said that monsoon low pressure has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and nearby areas and is likely to move westwards and reach Rajasthan, India, on Thursday.

Strong monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are likely to penetrate northern parts of the country from Tuesday evening and expected to intensity today (Wednesday).

A strong westerly wave is also likely to interact with monsoon currents on Wednesday. Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rain and wind-thunderstorms are expected in KP, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha and Faisalabad divisions), Islamabad, GB and Kashmir from Tuesday evening to Saturday.

Scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall are also expected in the Hazara, Malakand, Mardan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions, as well as Islamabad and Kashmir, on Wednesday and Thursday.

Scattered rain and wind-thunderstorms of moderate intensity with isolated heavy rainfall are expected in the Mirpurkhas and Thatta divisions, while light to moderate rain is expected in the Hyderabad and Karachi divisions on Thursday and Friday.

Scattered rain and wind-thunderstorms are also expected in central and south Punjab – in the Sahiwal, Multan, D.G. Khan and Bahawalpur divisions – from Wednesday evening to Friday, as well as in isolated places in the Sukkur, Larkana, Zhob, Kalat, Sibbi and Naseerabad divisions.

The advisory said: “Heavy falls may generate flash flooding in Hazara, Malakand, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, D.G. Khan divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir, while urban flooding in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions during Wednesday and Thursday. Possibility of landslide in Malakand, Hazara divisions, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir cannot be ruled out during the period.”

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2019