Monsoon currents will continue to penetrate

Heavy downpour has already caused devastation in different parts of the country while the forecast of further rains in the coming days has triggered flood and land sliding threats in various terrains of Pakistan. According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), monsoon currents will continue to penetrate Pakistan during the next two weeks. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also predicted that "normal to above normal rainfall is expected in the upper half of the country. Furthermore, extreme weather events are also expected during the period, which may cause flooding in the rivers and its adjoining tributaries," the NDMA cautioned in its flood advisory.
The advisory further states that urban flooding is likely in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore and Sargodha Divisions. The advisory states: "high to very high flood with sharp peaks of exceptional high flood are expected upstream of Mangla River.... high to very high flood is also likely in River Chenab at Marala and its downstream. Flows may attain medium to high flood level in Rivers Indus at Tarbela and Kabul at Nowshera along with their tributaries, the NDMA flood/weather advisory reads. Flows are likely to cross high flood level in the nullahs of River Ravi (Hasri, Bein, Basanter, Ujh, Jhajri, Kather and Deg) and Chenab (Palku, Aik and Bhimber)."
Speaking to Business Recorder, NDMA Spokesperson Brigadier Mukhtar Ahmed said the NDMA has prepared a comprehensive contingency plan in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) to respond to flood threats. "The plan is ready and all the standby arrangements have been put in place to deal with any untoward situation," he said.
The NDMA has also set up emergency cells in coordination with the provinces regarding the monsoon rains, and situation reports of all the areas where flood threat is prevalent are instantly being updated, he said. "We are continuously keeping track of developments taking place in the areas that have recorded heavy rains and that have seen devastation.
We are ready to respond to the unfolding situation, accordingly," the NDMA spokesperson said.
The official statistics confirm that at least 83 people have so far died in different parts across Pakistan, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan due to recent rains: 25 in KP, 23 in Punjab, 10 each in Balochistan and AJK and three have died in Sindh following heavy rains. In Karachi, three people died of electric shock from dangling wires after the rains earlier on Monday.
Overall, the heavy rains have affected 400 households in KP, 120 households, 39 shops and two mosques in AJK, the NDMA data indicates. As many as 66 houses throughout Pakistan are completely damaged and 138 houses are partially damaged due to rains, the NDMA's latest situation report reveals.
The suburbs of the capital city were inundated with rain water as a result of the torrential rains during the last couple of days.
At least two people, including a minor, lost their lives after rainwater flooded the basement of a house earlier on Thursday morning. According to police six died when the basement where they were sleeping was overrun with water. Many of Islamabad drains were blocked due to the heavy downpours leading to traffic jams.
Water entered the houses of people in low lying areas.
Bani Gala, where the residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan is located, was also inundated with rain water as it does not have an adequate drainage system.
When contacted, a member environment CDA said that the CDA management is working towards the immediate removal of wild shrubs and trimming grass, especially along the road drainage system which is affecting drainage of rain water. Besides, the civic authority is also taking immediate measures for removal of solid waste, construction waste and soil lying on the sides of nullahs so that rain water can flow smoothly, he said.
"We are also ensuring that all manholes are covered and are taking effective measures to drain rain water from low lying areas," he said.
On Monday, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir had dismissed the possibility of flooding in the near future, while briefing the fifth meeting of the Standing Committee on Climate Change.
"There is no flood forecast in the near future. Still, we are fully prepared to deal with any situation that may arise out of a heavy downpour," the minister said.