Pakistan forecasts rain, thunderstorms in parts of country next week, urges caution

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday forecast rain, thunderstorms and possible hailstorms in parts of the country next week and advised citizens to take precautionary measures during severe weather conditions.

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change and has increasingly faced extreme weather events ranging from heatwaves and droughts to heavy rains and floods.

The NDMA said the current weather conditions were consistent with seasonal forecasts issued earlier by its National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC), with southern Sindh and parts of Balochistan expected to remain hot and dry with temperatures likely to rise further.

“Rain, windstorms and isolated hailstorms are expected in various districts of Punjab between May 19 and 22,” the NDMA said, citing the NEOC forecast.

Rain was forecast in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as well as Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Lahore, Sialkot, Kasur and Multan in Punjab.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, rain and thunderstorms were expected in areas including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Quetta, Zhob, Ziarat, Chaman and Khuzdar.

Rain and isolated hailstorms were also forecast in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, including Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Astore, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Bagh and Kotli.

The NDMA advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rain or extreme heat and urged residents of vulnerable areas to follow local administration and weather adviseries.

Torrential rains battered several parts of Pakistan in late March and early April, with the nationwide death toll from rain-related incidents crossing 80.

At least 1,037 people were also killed between June 26 and Oct. 1 during last year’s monsoon season.