ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) on Thursday warned of heavy rains and thunderstorms in parts of the country’s Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan in the next 72 hours, with nearly 250 killed in rain disasters since July.
Heavy rains this monsoon season have triggered floods and landslides in many parts of the country, most notably the eastern province of Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
An advisory from the NEOC for the next 72 hours said rainfall was likely to exceed 100mm in most parts of Sindh including District Badin, Dadu, Ghotki, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Karachi, Kashmore, Khairpur, Larkana, Matiari, Mithi, Mirpur Khas, Nagarparkar, Nausheroferoze, Sanghar, Sujawal, Shaheed Benazirabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Tando Allayar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar, Thatta, and Umarkot.
“Heavy rainfall is likely to trigger urban flooding in urban centers including Karachi, Hyderabad, etc. Flash flooding is also likely in local nullahs and river tributaries,” the statement said.
Heavy rain is also expected in Islamabad and Rawalpindi and hill torrents in DG Khan, Taunsa and Rajanpur could trigger flash floods.
“Hill Torrents of Balochistan also to experience floods. Local nullahs are also likely to witness increased flows. Urban flooding is also likely in urban centers. River flows are also likely to increase across the province,” the NEOC said.
Pakistan is recognized as one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change effects. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall while some areas of the country faced a deadly heat wave in May and June.
In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered flash floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.
