By Eman Alam
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast widespread rain-wind/thundershowers for Saturday across various parts of the country, warning of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides in vulnerable regions.
Rain accompanied by isolated heavyfalls is expected in Punjab, Kashmir, Potohar region, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Northeastern Balochistan, Southeastern Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan are also likely to receive showers during evening and night hours.
The department cautioned that heavy rains during tonight and tomorrow (August 30) may trigger flash floods in local streams and nullahs of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Nowshera, Swabi, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Northeast Punjab, Kashmir and the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan.
Urban flooding is feared in low-lying areas of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan, while landslides and mudslides may cause road closures in the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir.
Cloudy weather with rain-wind/thundershowers is expected in Islamabad and its surroundings with chances of isolated heavyfalls. In Punjab, rain-wind/thundershowers with scattered heavyfalls are forecast in Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Khushab, Noorpur Thal, Sargodha, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Jhang, Chinot, Sahiwal, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, Pakpattan, Bahawalpur, Layyah, Multan, Khanewal and Dera Ghazi Khan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is likely to experience partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thundershowers in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Buner, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, Bajaur, Orakzai, Tank, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Waziristan and Dera Ismail Khan, with heavy falls likely at isolated places in the upper districts.
Sindh will mostly remain hot and humid, though partly cloudy conditions are expected in coastal areas and rain-wind/thunderstorms may occur at isolated places in Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Tharparkar, Umarkot and surrounding areas during evening and night hours. In Balochistan, hot and humid conditions will prevail in most districts, while Zhob, Musakhel, Barkhan, Khuzdar and Lasbela may receive rain and thundershowers at night.
In Kashmir, intermittent rain-wind/thundershowers are expected with chances of heavyfalls, while Gilgit-Baltistan will see partly cloudy weather with rain at isolated places.
During the past 24 hours, hot and humid weather prevailed over most parts of the country, though isolated rain and thundershowers occurred in Punjab, Kashmir, Murree, Galliyat and Cherat.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded at Lahore Airport with 23 mm, followed by Faisalabad 14 mm, Sialkot Airport 13 mm, Okara 10 mm, Sheikhupura 5 mm, Murree and Sahiwal 3 mm each, Hafizabad and Bahawalnagar 2 mm, Cherat 4 mm and Rawalakot 2 mm.
The highest maximum temperature was recorded at 43 C in Chilas, Turbat and Dalbandin, followed by 42 C in Nokundi.
