ISLAMABAD - Chairman of National Disaster management Authority has warned of heavy rain spell at upper parts of the country, which may play havoc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir. However, he said that NDMA was fully prepared to minimize the damage this time.
"While below than usual monsoon rains are expected in country's lower parts upper parts, intensified spell of rains is expected in upper parts. We are in touch with the provincial disaster management authorities to take steps to minimize the damage this fall," Chairman NDMA Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem said at a press conference here.
He said that in order to review the national efforts in monsoon preparedness and to harmonize the provincial and departmental plans, NDMA had organized a two-day national conference at the Prime Minister's Office, Islamabad.
The national conference was attended by representatives from federal, provincial & regional authorities including provincial & regional DMAs, Armed Forces, Pakistan Metrological Department, Federal Flood Commission, National Drought Monitoring Centre, SUPARCO, Rescue 1122, Humanitarian Community and all relevant provincial & federal departments.
He also emphasized the need to address concerns of drought, as a consequence of likely Elnino, with equal urgency because that too has a direct linkage to the monsoon season.
On the occasion, the Pakistan Meteorological Department presented the weather forecast for monsoon season 2014. The forecast suggested that total amount of rainfall averaged over Pakistan during monsoon season (July-September) 2014 will remain slightly below normal which means that overall availability of water in the country from monsoon rainfall would be satisfactory. Rainfall will increase gradually during August over northern parts of the country. During August & September monsoon will remain by & large normal.
However, northeastern parts of the country are expected to receive slightly above normal precipitation during the period while the areas of Southern Pakistan are likely to receive below average rainfalls.