ISLAMABAD:
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday warned that water levels in Pakistan’s major rivers are expected to rise significantly between Aug 2 and 4, prompting flood alerts across several regions.
The authority urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel to flood-prone areas as heavy monsoon rains continue to intensify.
According to the NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), high-level flooding has been recorded in the Lehri River at Head Gogi, while medium-level flooding is underway in Nullah Palkhu at Wazirabad.
The authority said low-level flooding continues at Kalabagh, Chashma, Guddu and Sukkur along the Indus River, as well as at Head Nari on the Nari River. On the Chenab River, high-level flows are expected at Marala, while low- to medium-level flows are forecast at Khanki and Qadirabad.
Water levels are also expected to rise in the Jhelum, Ravi and Kabul rivers, along with their tributaries.
The NDMA warned that streams linked to the Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers could experience medium to high flows, while water levels in the Ravi and Sutlej rivers will depend on releases from Indian reservoirs.
The authority also cautioned about the risk of flash floods in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, as well as seasonal streams in central and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan.
It further warned of urban flooding and rainwater accumulation in low-lying areas of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta and other parts of Sindh.
The NDMA advised people to avoid unnecessary travel to flood-hit and flood-prone areas, refrain from crossing floodwaters on foot or by vehicle, monitor weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling, and strictly follow instructions issued by local authorities.
It also urged the public to stay updated through the official Pak NDMA Disaster Alert mobile application for timely weather warnings and emergency information.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Response Committee (ERC), constituted by the prime minister, on Sunday held its 10th daily review meeting on the country’s monsoon response, directing authorities to maintain maximum preparedness and accelerate relief and rehabilitation efforts as fresh rain is forecast for northern and central Pakistan, with isolated showers also expected in southeastern Sindh.
The committee’s meeting, chaired via video link by Planning Minister Prof Ahsan Iqbal at the National Emergencies Operation Centre, was attended by representatives of federal ministries, provincial governments, chief secretaries, provincial disaster management authorities and other response agencies.
The NDMA briefed participants on the latest weather outlook, casualties, infrastructure losses, and ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations. It informed the meeting that deputy commissioners in all vulnerable districts had already been alerted to ensure timely preparedness and emergency response.
The committee was told that recent rainfall had triggered flooding in several areas and that coordinated response operations were continuing through federal, provincial and district authorities.
Officials warned that rain is expected to persist over northern and central parts of the country in the coming days, while isolated showers are also likely in parts of southeastern Sindh.
The NDMA also updated the meeting on relief operations being carried out with the support of national and international humanitarian organisations.
Participants were informed that most fatalities during the current monsoon season had resulted from the collapse of unsafe structures and poorly constructed buildings, stressing the need for stricter enforcement of building safety standards and greater public awareness.
The ERC appreciated the efforts of federal ministries, provincial governments, district administrations, the armed forces, rescue services and other responding agencies.
It directed all stakeholders to strengthen coordination, maintain a high level of preparedness, expedite relief and rehabilitation work, and implement preventive measures to reduce the impact of future weather events.
