ISLAMABAD: Thunderstorms are expected to begin in different parts of the country from June 22 as a heavy monsoon system is entering Pakistan tonight, Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) said on Sunday. The monsoon comes on the heels of pre-monsoon rains that have already wreaked havoc in Balochistan and some parts of Sindh, killing ten people. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces have also received pre-monsoon rains and the monsoon system could cause flooding. The Met Office on Sunday alerted the concerned departments to stay alert as the heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning are expected to start across Pakistan from June 22. DNA
The Met warned that the heavy thunderstorms may cause damage to the weak infrastructure and generate flash floods in nullahs in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, and Nowshera.
The Met Office also warned of landslides in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB). It advised people to stay cautious and obtain information on weather situations before visiting any tourist spot.
Different parts of the country witnessed overnight downpours which submerged the houses and roads in the low-lying areas. The wall of a house in Awan Market of Lahore also collapsed, killing five members of a family while at least five people were killed and three injured when their car was swept away in a flash flood flowing through Beji stream in Balochistan’s Kohlu district on Sunday.
Parts of the Dera Bugti in Balochistan were also flooded overnight. The pre-monsoon rains in Sindh flooded 12 villages along Gharo Creek, and hundreds of villagers were stranded.
On June 17, PMD issued a warning of glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) events including flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and gusty winds in the GB due to expected rainfalls in the region.
Karachi is bracing for rains as authorities chart out contingency plans. However, people fear any negligence on the part of officials could incur heavy costs. A storm drain in Karachi’s area of Gulistan-e-Jauhar has not been cleaned so far as the megacity is expected to witness monsoon rains from June 30.
The storm drain is choked and likely to overflow in the upcoming rain season. The locals said that they bear a heavy loss every year as the drain overflows and water enters their homes.
