Pakistan engages contingency plans as rains lash across country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday activated contingency plans for the monsoon season ahead as rain lashed different parts of the country. 

Heavy monsoon rains inundated large parts of Lahore, leaving key roads and underpasses submerged, disrupting transport and prompting authorities to warn of worsening urban flooding. 

Similarly, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh directed all district administrations to remain on high alert and ensure precautionary measures.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PDMA also issued an urgent release following data from hydro-meteorological monitoring networks across glaciated valleys. 

Punjab remains vulnerable to urban flooding

Punjab PDMA warned that the province remained vulnerable to urban flooding during the ongoing second phase of the monsoon season. 

The authority has issued an alert forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning between July 19 and July 23, identifying Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Sargodha among districts at heightened risk. 

The monsoon has already claimed 21 lives across Punjab, with another 154 people injured, according to PDMA data. 

The authority said at least 38 homes had sustained partial damage.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government has intensified flood preparedness by deploying drones to conduct aerial inspections of rivers and barrages, allowing authorities to identify emerging risks and strengthen early warning systems. 

PDMA Director General Umar Abbas Meela directed district administrations to remain on high alert, warning of elevated risks of urban flooding and flash floods during the ongoing weather system. 

He instructed deputy commissioners to enforce Section 144 restrictions along rivers and streams to prevent public access to hazardous areas.

The Punjab government has said those injured in rain-related incidents would receive medical treatment, while families of those killed would be compensated between Rs1 million and Rs5 million under the provincial relief policy.

Separately, PDMA Director Malik Hameedullah speaking to Pakistan TV Digital said the authority has launched a province-wide survey to assess losses suffered by flood-affected households. 

The assessment will be used to verify damages and facilitate compensation for affected residents.

Sindh issues province-wide alert 

PDMA Sindh issued a province-wide alert in view of forecast monsoon rains and strong winds, directing all district administrations, relevant departments and emergency response agencies to remain on high alert and ensure precautionary measures.

PDMA Sindh Director General Syed Salman Shah said that Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted widespread rain accompanied by thunderstorms across various parts of Sindh from July 23 to July 25 due to strong monsoon currents penetrating from the Arabian Sea. 

He said heavy rainfall was expected at isolated places  and warned that strong winds and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, electricity poles, solar panels and billboards. 

He said all relevant authorities were instructed to adopt precautionary measures and remain fully prepared to respond to any emergency, adding that PDMA had activated its monsoon preparedness plan and kept essential machinery ready for deployment. 

As per a statement issued by PDMA, low-lying areas vulnerable to urban and flash flooding had also been identified to ensure a swift response. 

"If the situation arises in any area, dewatering machinery will be immediately shifted to the affected locations," he said, according to the statement, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather, stay away from electricity poles and unsafe structures, and follow official safety advisories.

Flood alerts across KP

A combination of accelerated snowmelt and heavy rains between July 19 and July 22 has raised water levels in rivers and streams across northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting emergency authorities to issue high-alert advisories for vulnerable mountain communities across the northern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

KP PDMA also issued an urgent release following data from hydro-meteorological monitoring networks across glaciated valleys, warning that peak flows in glacier-fed streams pose an immediate risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), severe riverbank erosion, and localized flooding in the Malakand and Hazara divisions.

According to initial casualty and damage reports covering the four-day rain spell, the weather system has caused significant losses across the province. A total of 22 people lost their lives, including 9 men, 3 women, and 10 children, while 23 others sustained injuries. 

Severe weather also led to the destruction or partial damage of 37 houses, loss of 15 livestock and damage to 7 bridges, particularly impacting districts like Mansehra and Upper Dir.

In response to the escalating situation, PDMA directed deputy commissioners of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, and Mansehra to execute proactive safety measures. 

Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, PDMA Director General, Arifullah said, “Irrigation Department is working on removal of encroachment from critical waterways […] Water and Sanitation Companies, they are also clearing their drains, their sanitation channels, because they overflow in case of urban flooding.” 

Arifullah also requested the people to “avoid going to hilly areas because right now they are more prone to landslides [...] apart from the natural disasters like the flash floods and the cloudbursts, there is a definite forecast for GLOF events as well.”

Residents and tourists in northern areas have been strongly advised to avoid traveling near stream beds, fast-flowing water channels, and riverbanks. Local communities were also urged to monitor streams for sudden muddiness or unusual grinding sound — major indicators of impending flash floods or land wasting.

Emergency response units, including Rescue 1122 and C&W departments, remain on high alert to clear closed routes and assist affected populations.