Amraiz Khan
In view of the heavy monsoon rainfall, expected in the provincial metropolis on Eidul Azha, the flood forecasting department (FFD) has issued warning for high flood in four rivers flowing in the province.
According to details, the met officials have warned that heavy rainfall is expected in the City on July 20 and 21.
The FFD alert reads that high flood in River Indus, River Chenab and River Jhelum, forecasting that it could lead to spill over of water from adjoining nullahs and canals.
“Rivers Chenab and Kabul will witness a moderate to high flood,” it said, adding that a high flood is expected in River Jhelum.
On the other hand, the Punjab government has alerted all its departments to deal with the expected situation after the heavy rainfall. The government has asked the Wasa, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other departments to take all out precautionary measures.
The Lahore Deputy Commissioner has also cancelled leaves of all the officers with directions to remain standby to deal with the expected rain emergency.
The government has also issued special instruction to the LWMC for timely of sanitation in low-lying areas to avoid accumulation of rainwater.
The Punjab chief minister has warned that he would pay visit to City areas to monitor the sanitation and arrangements for rain emergency. Usman Buzdar directed that no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Wasa has set up rain emergency camps at various points in the City and its chairman has directed the officers to remain in the field for timely disposal of rainwater.
Earlier, a weather report in the day said that the port city of Karachi can likely receive rainfall on July 24 and 25, but not on Eid day.
Met Office Director Sardar Sarfaraz, however, forecast rainfall in Punjab and upper areas of Pakistan. He predicted that rainfall with thunderstorms in Kashmir on Eidul Azha.
In its previous report, the Met Office said that strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate upper parts of the country from Sunday and may persist till Wednesday.
Pakistan Meteorological Department report said that rain with wind and thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, Potohar region, upper Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan from Sunday evening or night to Wednesday.
Sindh’s Larkana, Sukkur, Jaccobabad, Tharparker, Sanghar, Umerkot and Mirpurkhas districts, southern Punjab’s Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Balochistan’s Sibbi, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Loralai, Barkhan, Zhob, Musa Khel, Quetta, Ziarat, Harnai, Qila Saifullah and Qila Abdullah districts will likely to receive rainfall from Monday evening to Thursday, according to the weather forecast.
