Islamabad: Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that new monsoon spell that was starting today will bring with it possibility of thunderstorms and heavy rains in different regions which could lead to urban flooding in low-lying areas.

Pakistan Monsoon alert 🔔: a new monsoon spell is beginning today, with a possibility of thunderstorms and heavy rains in different regions including Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir. This monsoon spell is expected to… pic.twitter.com/QGv35uzQ3l

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) July 13, 2023

In tweet, she said that new spell was expected to continue until July 17 and all relevant departments have been instructed to remain alert. ‘’From July 13 to 17, there is risk of urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Lahore due to heavy rainfall,’’ she tweeted.

اجلاس میں ڈی جی پی ایم ڈی،فلڈ فورکاسٹنگ ڈویژن، پاکستان کمیشن انڈس واٹر، سپارکو، پی ڈی ایم اے پنجاب نے بارشوں اور سیلاب کے امکانات پر جبکہ ریسکیو 1122 نے ریلیف آپریشن اور ایمرجنسی سامان بشمول 83 کشتیوں کی وصولی پر بریفنگ دی. pic.twitter.com/3pMmQfE0jg

— NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) July 13, 2023

She said that there is an alert of possible landslides in hilly areas such as Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Her tweet comes after northern states of India witnessed torrential downpours in past week. As result, India is releasing more water towards downstream areas in Pakistan, leaving risk of flooding in country. NDMA’s tweet from earlier in day said there is no risk of flooding due to rains in next few days. However its chairman has instructed relevant institutions “To remain alert and continuously monitor water reservoirs and to transfer the populations under possible threat to safe places in time”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 14 2023

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