ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a new flash and urban flooding warning as the ongoing floods triggered by monsoon rains have killed 156, injured 282 people countrywide and caused serious damages to infrastructure.
According to the fresh warning issued by the NDMA, the rivers Chenab and Ravi adjoining nullahs during 10-13 August owing to heavy rains are likely to trigger urban flooding while in hilly parts of the country landslides may disrupt routine life.
The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) of NDMA has anticipated that extremely heavy rainfall over upper catchments of rivers Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej may cause an increase in water flows in these rivers.
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Consequently, medium to high level flood flows are expected in River Chenab along with nullahs of Rivers Chenab and Ravi from 10-13 August 2024.
Moreover, flows in River Sutlej are subject to releases from Indian side likely to trigger flash flooding and land sliding in hilly/mountainous regions of Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in 48 hours.
Heavy rains may cause urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, and other urban areas.
In Balochistan province, rain-wind/thundershowers with isolated very heavy falls are expected in Kalat, Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Khuzdar, Awaran and Barkhan.
In KPK, rain-wind/thundershowers with isolated very heavy falls are expected in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Batta-gram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Galiyat, Haripur, Buner, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Malakand, Mohmand, Khy-ber, Bajaur, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kohat and Orakzai.
Parts of Punjab are likely to experience rain-wind/thun-dershowers with isolated very heavy falls expected in Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chak-wal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafiz-abad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur, Khushab, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakkar and DG Khan. Furthermore, higher temperatures and rains may trigger GLOF incidents in vulnerable valleys of KPK and G-B.
This year flooding in many parts of the country has resulted in destroying 1,832 houses, and killing 349 livestock from July 1, 2024 to date
According to the NDMA, out of 156 flood-related deaths reported in the country, 57 from KPK, 57 from Punjab, 31 in Sindh, six in Balochistan, three in AJK and two in G-B.
Children remained the worst victims of the floods as so far 76 children have lost their lives and 109 children injured. The floods have claimed lives of 52 men, 28 women, injured 99 men and 74 women. KPK has reported 102 injuries, Punjab 145, AJK 13, Balochistan 8, Sindh 13 and G-B one.
Out of 1,832 houses damaged, 699 are in KPK of which 492 partially and 206 fully, 717 houses are damaged in Sindh, of which, 495 partially and 222 fully; 214 in Punjab, of which, 114 partially and 100 fully; 81 in G-B, of which, 49 partially and 33 fully; 74 in AJK, of which, 57 partially and 17 fully; 47 houses are damaged in Balochistan, of which, 32 partially and 15 fully. Out of 349 livestock killed 137 reported in KPK, 75 in Balochistan, 49 in G-B, 39 in Punjab, 36 in Sindh, 10 in Islamabad Capital Territory, and three in AJK.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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