KARACHI: A new monsoon rainy spell is expected across the upcountry from August 2 through next Monday, which may also trigger floods and landslides, the Met Office said on Tuesday.
Monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea, likely to couple with westerly wave on August 3, will enter the upcountry to produce rain, windstorm and thundershowers with isolated downpours till August 7, it said.
Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar, Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur are expected to see an intermittent rainy spell from the eve of August 2 till August 7.
With isolated heavy falls, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera likely to receive rains till August 7.
Galliyat, Murree, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura are also likely to witness isolated downpours with intermittent rains and winds till Monday.
From the eve of August 4 till August 7, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Waziristan, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Jhang, Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh and
Kasur may see the rainy and windy weather in intermittent spells.
Heavy rains may increase water flow in local nullahs and streams of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi/Islamabad from August 4 till August 7.
Downpours may also unleash floods in low lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Lahore over the period.
Torrential rains may also trigger landslides in Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Farmers should manage their activities keeping in view the rainy weather, as the Met also urged the public and tourists to stay cautious over the period to avoid untoward weatherly challenges.
It warned that wind-thunderstorm may damage high-rise loose structures like electric poles and solar panels, asking the concerned authorities to remain alert to meet the challenges in rains.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023