ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a rain alert with thunder and lightning across the country for the next 12 to 24 hours.
According to the NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre, a series of westerly winds entering from the southwestern regions of Balochistan will bring strong winds, dust storms, and rain to most parts of the country.
The weather pattern is expected to be seen in large areas of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with hail at a few places.
An alert has also been issued for flash floods in several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as a result of the expected rain.
In Balochistan, flash floods are feared in the areas of Turbat, Kech, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Zhob, and Lasbela.
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, flash floods are also expected in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Parachinar, Peshawar, Mardan, and Swabi.
Potential flash floods are also feared in the urban and low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, and Chakwal.
According to the NDMA, snowfall is also expected in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and the upper and mountainous regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the next 12 to 24 hours.
Rain with thunderstorm
Besides Islamabad, Punjab areas including Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Gujrat, Sialkot, Lahore, Mianwali, and Mandi Bahauddin are likely to experience dust storms and thunderstorms with rain in the next 12 to 24 hours.
Rain is also expected in Khushab, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Kasur, Okara, Narowal, D.G. Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Thunderstorms are also expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Haripur, Swabi, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, and D.I. Khan.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir regions including Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Astore, Diamer, Ghizer, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot, Haveli, and Neelum Valley are also likely to receive rain, according to the NDMA.
In Balochistan cities including Quetta, Zhob, Ziarat, Kalat, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Barkhan, Sibi, Dera Bugti, Khuzdar, Awaran, Washuk, Panjgur, Turbat, Gwadar, and Lasbela, rain is expected during the next 12 to 24 hours.
Sindh cities including Kashmore, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Shahdadkot, Khairpur, and Larkana are expected to witness thunderstorms with rain in the next 12 to 24 hours.
The authority has warned that roads may become slippery due to rain, and traffic flow is likely to be affected.
NDMA has directed all provincial and district authorities to remain alert to deal with the potential weather situation.
