LAHORE - Provincial Minister for Health and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Disaster Management, Khawaja Salman Rafique on Thursday reached Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Headquarters to review monsoon rains preparations and river conditions. He toured the PDMA control room where Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia briefed him in detail about the status of monsoon rains and water levels in rivers and working of the department to meet the challenges. Minister Rafique also reviewed the safety measures in place across the province regarding the monsoon rains. On the occasion, Khawaja Salman Rafique said that preparations were complete to tackle the torrential rains and potential floods in Punjab and an awareness campaign was being conducted regarding precautionary measures. “We are making every effort to ensure timely measures for the protection of human lives and all the departments, divisional and district administrations should maintain close coordination, as coordination between PDMA and other institutions will prove extremely effective in disaster prevention,” he added. Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia said that all the resources would be utilized to address the potential flood threats and precautionary arrangements have been completed in vulnerable districts. “Due to climatic changes, Pakistan may face severe rains and flood conditions”, he warned. Meanwhile, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that torrential rains may cause flash floods, urban flooding and landslides in the vulnerable areas during the period of July 05-07. Torrential rains will cause flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra.
, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Dir, Swat, Kashmir and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan from July 05-07. Heavy rains may cause urban flooding in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Peshawar during the period, the PMD said.
Landslides may disrupt roads at the vulnerable points of hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to the synoptic situation, strong monsoon currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were penetrating upper/central parts of the country.
A westerly wave was also affecting upper parts of the country. Rain-wind/thundershower with isolated heavy falls is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Islamabad, Upper/Central Punjab, northeast Balochistan and Kashmir. Rain-wind/thundershower is also likely at isolated places in Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab. During the last 24 hours, hot and very humid weather prevailed over most parts of the country.
However, rain-wind/thundershower occurred in Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Barkhan.
The rainfall recorded was Punjab: Rawalpindi (Chaklala Airport 44 mm, Shamsabad 39, Katcheri 16), Mangla 44, Sialkot (City 43, Airport 18), Gujrat 35, Narowal 32, Islamabad (Golra 24, Bokra 21, Saidpur 19,Zeropoint 18, Airport 14), Jhelum 22, Gujranwala 13, Lahore (AP 09, city 03), Kasur 04, Murree, Attock 01, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Lower Dir 34, Mardan 05, Balochistan: Barkhan 11, Kashmir: Garhidupatta 08, Kotli 06, Muzaffarabad (City 06, Airport 05), Rawalakot 01mm.
The highest maximum temperatures recorded were Nokundi, Dalbandin 49C, Sabbi 46, Panjgur, Jacobabad 45, Dadu, Chilas, Turbat and Rohri 44C.
