Climate change minister warns of urban flooding in Karachi, Lahore

• Sherry Rehman says Punjab and Sindh are expected to receive above-normal rainfall this year.
• "Ministry has directed all federal, provincial authorities to take all possible precautionary measures," says climate change minister.
• Rehman says rivers and streams are also prone to flooding therefore precautions are to be taken.

Amid continuous warnings regarding the pre-monsoon wet spell in Pakistan, Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Tuesday warned there is a “clear” risk of urban flooding, particularly in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Islamabad.

“Urban areas are likely to face the risk of torrential rains,” the minister warned in a series of tweets.

Rehman noted that the ministry has directed all federal and provincial authorities to take all possible precautionary measures to deal with the possible catastrophic effects of the expected monsoon rains.

Earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued an advisory for all departments concerned to remain high alert and vigilant as a series of heavy rains is about to begin.

The climate change minister predicted that Pakistan will see monsoon rains till August. “Punjab and Sindh are expected to receive above-normal rainfall this year,” she said, also highlighting the grave situation in neighbouring countries where the onset of the monsoon season has already created a state of emergency, such as in India and Bangladesh.

“Geographically, above-normal rain is expected on the foothills of the Himalayas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the central parts of the Punjab region," Rehman wrote.

“It must also be noted that rivers and streams are also prone to flooding, therefore precautions are to be taken,” she added.

The minister added that the ministry has also issued a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) alert to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan governments due to the global warming issue.

First spell of pre-monsoon rain in Karachi 

As parts of the country have begun receiving pre-monsoon rainfall, the Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) has forecast rain in Karachi with strong wind and thunderstorms from today evening, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to the PMD, the first spell of pre-monsoon rain in Karachi is likely to begin today (Tuesday) evening and will continue till Wednesday, June 22.

The Met department has also forecast rain over the next two days in Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Kashmoor, Shikarpoor, Jacobabad, Nawabshah and other parts of Sindh.