Pakistan disaster authorities warn of heavy rains, floods over next two days

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of heavy rains and flash floods in upper and central parts of the country over the next two days, Pakistani state media reported on Thursday.
Parts of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab provinces received heavy showers this week, with rainwater inundating several low-lying areas.
The NDMA warned that if the rainfall exceeded 50-100 millimeter, it may lead to urban and flash flooding in local nullahs and river tributaries, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The areas likely to be affected include Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot and Rawalpindi [in Punjab], while Galiyat, Kashmir, Kohistan, Mansehra and Murree are prone to land sliding and flash flooding,” the report read.
The NDMA has asked provincial disaster management authorities and district administrations to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate measures to safeguard the people at risk, according to the report.
It has advised public to take precautionary measures while traveling to landslide-prone areas.
This week, at least four people were killed and 31 others were wounded in rain-related incidents in KP, a PDMA spokesperson said.
Earlier in April, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in Pakistan, leaving 92 people dead and another 116 wounded.
Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab also reported 21 deaths from lightning and roof collapses while the country’s southwestern Balochistan province reported at least 15 deaths from torrential rains.
The NDMA this month launched a community engagement app for Pakistanis ahead of the monsoon season. The ‘Pak NDMA Disaster Alert’ mobile app generates alerts and updates guidance for organizations and individual responders in national and provincial languages.