KP authorities warned to gear up as rain expected to lash various cities

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Wednesday alerted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities to gear up and take required measures as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast heavy rain in various cities across the province.

The KP PDMA said due to the heavy rains, landslides are feared in the upper districts of the province.

According to the PMD, a fresh spell of rains is likely to start in KP tomorrow, with showers expected in Dir, Swat, Buner, Shangla, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Haripur.

In addition, thundershowers are also expected in Mardan, Nowshera, and Charsadda, the department said, adding that the isolated heavy rainfalls were likely to continue intermittently till Friday.

"Rain-thundershower with isolated heavy falls are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar," the PMD said, adding that the wet season was likely to continue in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan as well.

"Heavy falls may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, [and] Lahore," it noted, adding that landslides may be triggered in vulnerable areas of KP, GB, and Kashmir during the period.

With regard to Karachi, the PMD said the rain spell had subsided "and dry weather is expected to prevail in most parts of the Sindh during next 10 days, with one or two brief rains at a few places during the period".

"Dry weather conditions in Karachi will be supportive for rescue/relief operation during next 10 days," it added.