Pre-monsoon rains: authorities asked to take appropriate steps

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) following Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) weather forecast has advised all the relevant authorities to take appropriate steps to avoid life and property losses. This advisory was issued by Chairman NDMA, Major General Asghar Nawaz at a conference held on Wednesday to review the Frequency Allocation Board, Ministry of Interior and PMD measures for early restoration of allocated frequency of Flood Forecasting Warning System (FFWS) Network for Nullah Lai.
The Met office has predicted pre-monsoon rains on upper parts of the country from Wednesday to Friday. Met office spokesman informed that pre-monsoon currents are penetrating in upper Punjab and Kashmir and a fresh westerly wave is also likely to approach upper parts of the country on Wednesday. Under the influence of such meteorological conditions rain/dust-thundershower is expected at scattered places in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat divisions and Islamabad during Wednesday (evening) to Thursday. Isolated heavy rain fall is also expected in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala divisions and Islamabad on Thursday.
Rain-thunderstorm with gusty winds is also expected at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara divisions, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during Wednesday (evening) to Friday. The spokesman further informed that two significant rains of pre-monsoon are expected during the next week. Flood Forecasting Warning System (FFWS) is Early Warning System (EWS) and was installed at Nullah Lai by Pakistan Meteorological Department in 2006. Radio Telemetry Communication installed at Nullah Lai Flood Forecasting Warning System (FFWS) Network plays a critical role in Early Warning System against the flash flood.
Pakistan Meteorological Department has reported that the frequency on which Early Warning System communication was working that Radio Telemetry System has been allocated to NADRA for the Safe City Project due to which currently Early Warning System at Nullah Lai is non-operational. Considering it a serious matter, a number of meetings have been held between Pakistan Meteorological Department and Frequency Allocation Board and NDMA. The chairman NDMA called the head of all Frequency Allocation Board, Pakistan Meteorological Department to resolve the issue prior to the onset of impending Monsoon Season.