Pakistan likely to face extreme climate events till October: NDMA

• NDMA informs provincial govts of preparations needed through letter.
• SUPARCO, PMD asked to monitor GLOF vulnerable sites.
• Northern, coastal belt to face higher temperatures during May-July: PMD.

KARACHI: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned provinces to gear up for extreme climate events — including intensive heat waves, extraordinary snow melting, land sliding, flash floods, forest fires and cyclones — The News reported, citing an official letter from the disaster management authority.

The official letter has informed all provincial governments of the extraordinary preparations needed to face probable extreme climate events between April and October. 

NDMA issued region-specified preparatory instructions to all disaster management (DM) authorities, and stakeholders to release region-specified impact-based alerts and advisories for timely proactive preparations. 

Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) have been asked to monitor changes in glacier melt vulnerable "glacier lake outburst flood" (GLOF) sites and continuously assess the likely impact of these developments on river flows downstream in the water reservoirs and issue monitoring reports on a fortnightly basis.

Besides PDMA Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) were informed that PMD has forecast higher temperatures in northern regions and along the coastal belt during the period May-July.

Rain-thunderstorm forecast

Furthermore, the NDMA, on Sunday, issued an advisory alert to all the federal and provincial departments concerned to ensure disaster preparedness measures after the PMD issued a rain-thunderstorm forecast from May 22-26.

The advisory report said that the PMD has forecast that a westerly wave was likely to enter the western and upper parts of the country on May 22, which was likely to persist throughout the week — till May 26 — resulting in precipitation with occasional gaps.

Under the influence of this weather system, from May 22 (evening/night) to May 26, wind-dust/thunderstorm and rain with likely hailstorms (and isolated heavy falls) is expected in the regions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), GB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab.

In addition, the weather above is likely to prevail in Sargodha, Mianwali, Layyah, Khushab, Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Jhang, T T Singh, Sheikhupura, Nankana, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Sialkot, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Sahiwal, Lahore, R.Y. Khan, Bahawalnagar, Multan, D.G. Khan and Rajanpur and also in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

On the other hand, Sindh and Balochistan are expected to experience wind-dust or thunderstorms and rainfall From May 22 (tonight) to May 24.

— With additional input from APP