KARACHI: The relentless heatwave is anticipated to unleash flash drought in the country’s southern region in June with exacerbating effects on crops and animals, the Met Office said on Thursday.
In an advisory, it warned that the expected flash drought may strike the agriculture, livestock sectors, water resources and ecosystems with a significant impact next month.
The intense weather conditions may also lead to the crop failures and wildfires, it said and advised the stakeholders to take preemptive steps for the disaster-prone districts.
The disaster-prone districts, it specified as Tharparkar, Cholistan, and Thal - all located in the country’s southern region - including south Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
“Keeping in view the impact of the heatwave, the flash drought-like situation may emerge over most of the high-temperature regions of the country,” the Met Office added.
Citing the climatology and current forecast for June, it said that drought conditions may exacerbate and affect the agriculture, water resources and livestock before the monsoon season begins this summer.
It attributed the drought to the lower rainfall and rising temperatures that seared the country in May, causing the heatwave spell to remain unyielding in the southern region.
The continuing heatwave is triggering an increase in the temperatures of the land surface and evaporation, resulting in soil moisture stress, it said and advised the growers to remain vigilant amid the rapidly changing weather.
Over the past 24 hours: Heatwave scorched most of the country’s southern parts including Jacobabad with a higher daytime temperature to 51 Celsius.
Followed by Lasbela 50 Celsius, Dadu, Sibbi and Moen jo Daro 49, each, Khairpur, Larkana and Bahawalnagar 48, each, Hyderabad, Kasur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Joharabad, Khanewal, Mandi Bahauddin, Okara, Padidan, Rohri and Noorpur Thal 47, each.
The Met Office forecast the prevailing extreme weather conditions may prevail for one more day namely Friday. “Continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. A shallow westerly wave is also present over northern parts of the country,” it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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