ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a comprehensive weather alert predicting torrential rains, flash floods, hill torrents, and urban flooding across various parts of the country from July 19 to 23.
Relevant provincial and district administrations have been directed to finalize emergency arrangements, while citizens are urged to take strict precautionary measures.
According to the NDMA, heavy downpours are expected in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Upper Punjab between July 20 and 23. This is likely to trigger flood-like situations in local streams, cause hill torrents in mountainous regions, and lead to urban flooding in low-lying residential areas. Flood waves are also anticipated at Marala Headworks on the Chenab River and the upper reaches of the Jhelum River near Mangla.
Furthermore, a significant surge in water flow is expected in the Kabul River and its tributaries, as well as the Panjkora, Swat, and Chitral rivers, with Nowshera likely to be placed on high alert.
Landslides and flooding pose a serious threat to KP districts including Malakand, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, and Haripur, alongside rising water levels in Swat, Mardan, and Dera Ismail Khan. Meanwhile, urban flooding risks loom over major cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sheikhupura, potentially disrupting traffic and submerging low-lying areas.
Hill torrents could also hit border regions between Punjab and Balochistan, specifically Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Barkhan, Loralai, and Zhob.
In response, the NDMA has ordered the immediate deployment of rescue teams and heavy machinery.
Tourists and travelers are strictly advised to avoid unnecessary travel, steer clear of water channels, and stay updated via official government advisories to ensure public safety.
