The provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are expected to receive more rainfall as the monsoon season continues, following earlier spells that caused widespread disruption across the country, authorities said on Wednesday.
Pakistan experiences monsoon rains from June to September, which offer respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. The rains are also vital for agriculture but often wreak havoc on roads and houses, often causing fatal accidents.
In the past weeks, heavy thunderstorms caused considerable damage in 10 districts of Sindh, aggravating flooding in urban areas and causing widespread power breakdowns. The absence of electricity badly affected the water supply and drainage systems.
In Karachi, moderate rains led to severe deterioration of around 15 roads, including newly constructed or recently repaired ones. According to a statement from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday, “Shallow monsoon currents are penetrating into eastern/southeastern Sindh.”
The statement listed Tharparker, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar, and Karachi as the areas under the influence of this weather system. The forecast stated that tonight (Wednesday) Karachi will experience “partly cloudy & humid [weather] with chances of isolated rain/thunderstorm at outskirts”, with a maximum temperature ranging between 32-34°C.
A report from the National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC) stated that Sindh received a total of 322mm of rainfall as of 8:00am on Wednesday morning. The Tharparkar region received the most rainfall, recording 263mm of rainfall in different parts of the area, while Shaheed-Benazirabad received only 1mm.
Though the maximum temperatures will remain the same on Thursday and Friday, the weather will be “Fair/ partly cloudy & humid”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, a report from the National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC) read: “Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain-wind/thundershower is expected at scattered places in southeastern Sindh while, at isolated places in eastern/south Punjab, Pothohar region, southeastern Balochistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and adjoining hilly areas,” on September 4.
However, the report added that the weather will turn “mainly hot and dry” over the course of this week, with only isolated showers and thunderstorms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and other areas in northeast Pakistan. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned that rain, thunderstorms and high winds were predicted in Swat, Chitral, Dir (upper & Lower), Malakand, Buner, Shangla, Bajaur, Haripur, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and South Waziristan over the next 24 hours.
The synoptic report said that a “shallow westerly wave is prevailing over upper parts of the province”, adding that these conditions will remain for the next 48 hours.
It also stated that only Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan received rainfall, recording only trace amounts.
A day prior, four people had lost their lives as heavy rainfall lashed parts of the province over 24 hours, a report issued by PDMA spokesperson Anwar Shahzad said. The PDMA said that three people died after a bus was struck by a landslide in Upper Kohistan, while a minor was struck by lightning in Malakand District. The report further said 96 people had died and 133 were injured across KP in rain-related incidents from July 1 to September 2 (Monday).
A total of 963 houses had been damaged due to flash floods and heavy downpours during the period.
Shahzad, the PDMA official, said that relief activities had been launched in the affected areas and the authority was in close liaison with the district authorities.
