As the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall across the country over the coming week, a section of the highway linking Quetta with Islamabad was washed away near Dhanasar due to torrential rains in Zhob and Sherani districts.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of potential flash floods and urban flooding in various parts of the country due to the heavy rainfall, which could lead to rising water levels in local nullahs.
Met Office Director General Mehar Sahibzada Khan indicated that the rainfall is expected to continue until July 21 and urged the public to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents during the rain spell.
He noted that all four provinces, along with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), would experience the new spell of rain. Landslides might disrupt roads in the hilly regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan during this period.
Khan also advised tourists to avoid areas prone to landslides and cautioned citizens to keep children away from submerged areas, electrical wires, and poles.
Earlier on Wednesday, the NDMA issued a glacial lake outburst floods (Glof) alert for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. The NEOC warned of a possible Glof in these mountainous regions due to rising temperatures and expected heavy rainfall from July 17 to 23. This could lead to increased water levels in local rivers and streams, landslides, and flash flooding, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.
Road Link Suspended
In Balochistan, the road link between Islamabad and Quetta was suspended after a section of the Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan highway was swept away by heavy rainfall over the past 36 hours. Urban flooding occurred in Zhob, while swollen streams and hill torrents caused flash flooding in the Sulaiman Range and surrounding areas.
These hill torrents affected the highway linking Balochistan with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, halting traffic.
“Flash floods swept away a significant portion of the road in the Dhanasar area of Sherani district,” said Sana Umrani, Deputy Commissioner of Sherani. “Landslides on N-50 Danasar have become routine after rainfall in the Sulaiman Range,” she added, noting that local administration and NHA officials are monitoring the situation continuously.
On the other hand, National Highway Authority officials reported that the road link between Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan had been restored in the evening but was open only for light traffic.
Heavy monsoon rains in Zhob and Sherani districts have caused flooding in seasonal streams and nullahs, forcing residents to flee their homes. The downpour, which began on Tuesday night and continued throughout the day, affected both urban and rural areas.
Rain in Punjab
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has also issued an alert for heavy rain in various districts of Punjab. The PDMA forecasts that the monsoon spell will continue until July 20.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected at isolated locations in Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Multan, D.G. Khan, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Rajanpur, and Bahawalnagar districts. Partly cloudy weather with rain and thunderstorms is anticipated in Kashmir.
The meteorological office reported scattered rain and thunderstorms in Jhelum, Mangla, Mandi Bahauddin, and Rawalpindi, with isolated rainfall in Kashmir, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Gujrat, Narowal, Chakwal, Lahore, Attock, Bhakkar, Khushab, and Layyah.
Other districts of Punjab remained dry in the last 24 hours.
Rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours:
- Jhelum: 52.2mm
- Mangla: 37.6mm
- Mandi Bahauddin: 27mm
- Chaklala: 21mm
- Hafizabad: 15mm
- Sialkot City: 15mm
- Sialkot Airport: 13.2mm
- Gujranwala: 11.2mm
- Islamabad City: 9.2mm
- Gujrat: 7mm
- Kotli: 4mm
- Narowal: 3mm
- Chakwal: 2.6mm
- Lahore Airport: 1.7mm
- Attock: 1.0mm
- Bhakkar: 0.4mm