More monsoon rains likely to lash Karachi, parts of country from today

The Met Office on Thursday predicted more monsoon rains from Friday (today) till Monday (August 12) in different parts of the country including Karachi as strong winds are likely to penetrate the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Earlier, one or two spells of heavy rains in the port city were forecast by the weather office from August 4 to 7 as light to moderate rain showers hit parts of the metropolis during these days.

In a new weather forecast by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rain-wind and thundershowers are expected at isolated places of Sindh such as Mithi, Sanghar, Mitayari, Nausheroferoze, Jamshoro, Umarkot, Tharparkar, Mirpur Khas, Khairpur, Thatta, Badin, Chhor, Padidan, Sajawal, Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Allayar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu from August 09 to 11 with occasional gaps.

Moreover, rain-wind and thundershowers with scattered heavyfalls are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Tala Gang, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Kasur, Khushab and Sargodha from August 09 to 12 with occasional gaps.

Additionally, rain-wind and thundershower with isolated heavyfalls is expected in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Khanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bhakkar and Mianwali, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Rajanpur, Rahimyar Khan and Layyah on August 10 in evening and night as well as August 11 with occasional gaps.

The Met Office has also predicted rain and thundershowers in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

The PMD had forecast a wetter-than-usual monsoon season this year for Pakistan, one of the countries experts say is most vulnerable to extreme weather being spurred by climate change.

Over the past three days, 24 people have been killed by rainfall in the country's mountainous northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.

Moreover, earlier this year Pakistan — home to 240 million people —was hit by a succession of heatwaves and this April was the wettest since 1961.

— With additional input from AFP.