Home TRENDING CHITRAL SUFFERS FROM FLASH FLOODS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.

CHITRAL SUFFERS FROM FLASH FLOODS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.

CHITRAL SUFFERS FROM FLASH FLOODS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.

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Several deaths were reported on Saturday as monsoon rains continued to pound portions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab as a deluge from rain-swollen rivers overwhelmed low-lying areas, causing authorities to issue warnings.

The flood also uprooted four giant poplar trees that had stood tall in the Chitral Fort for centuries besides causing damage to the fort itself. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Officials have expressed concern that the enormous Indus River, which flows through the country’s second most populous region and is fed by dozens of mountain tributaries to the north, could flood the surrounding territories, exceeding their banks and wreaking much more destruction.

River, dam, and reservoir levels have been under constant surveillance by local authorities. In order to safeguard the safety of inhabitants, flood control measures have been put into place and evacuation orders have been issued in several regions.

In addition, heavy rain is forecast to persist over the next few days, putting many large cities at risk of flash floods.

More monsoon showers are expected in the country between July 22 and 26, according to the weather forecast, which raises the risk of urban and flash floods in low-lying areas in Punjab and K-P.

Roofs caved in after rains and gusty winds lashed houses in Mansehra district, killing at least two people and injuring many more, including children and women, while residential and commercial buildings were inundated by floodwater, causing losses of millions of rupees in a number of locations.

An Afghan mother and her kid were killed after the “iron roof of a house collapsed” on Chinar Road in Mansehra, according to a situation report released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of K-P.

 

Heavy rains also led to the collapse of the wall of a mud house on Bedra Road, crushing a sleeping family within.

A young child, aged six, passed away from his wounds at the hospital.

Heavy rains hit Lahore.

Similar destruction of life and property was caused by persistent rains in other Punjabi villages and cities, including Lahore.

Rains hampered efforts to restore electricity and rescue the victims after flooding had wiped off many roads and disrupted the power infrastructure.

Two boys, ages 12 and 17, were reported drowned as a result of the heavy downpour that occurred at Thokar Niaz Baig and under the Do Moria Pull.

Chitral villages at risk from a glacial outburst.

Lahore had “a whopping 203mm of rainfall in just 5 hours,” as tweeted by Mohsin Naqvi, caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab.

According to Radio Pakistan, the CM went on a tour of several parts of Lahore to assess the city’s drainage system and instructed local authorities to make the most of all available resources to improve the city’s drainage system.

He also gave orders to enhance the number of dewatering pumps being employed for this.

The CM issued orders to all involved agencies to speed up the drainage project.

As a result of the rains, 70 of Lahore Electric Supply Corporation’s (Lesco) feeders lost power, according to a statement released by the company.

“Lesco staff have been put on high alert, but difficulties are being faced in the restoration [of electricity supply] due to heavy rain,” the message said. As soon as the rain stops, we’ll get back to work.

There were warnings about people setting up shop under high-voltage cables and transformers, as well as staying away from electrical infrastructure when it rained.

In response to rising water levels and reports of flooding in several adjacent areas due to overflowing streams, authorities in Lahore have banned swimming in the Ravi River and canals, as well as “playing” on their banks, for a week.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rafia Haider issued a statement warning residents not to go swimming, boating or playing on the banks of the River Ravi or any of the city’s canals out of fear for their safety.

“Heavy rain spell[s] this season may cause unfortunate incidents of drowning and loss of precious human lives,” the warning stated.

According to the DC, “there are sufficient grounds to proceed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1989, as an immediate prevention and speedy remedy in the matter and directions, hereinafter are necessary to prevent loss of human lives and disturbance of public peace and tranquilly in Lahore district.”

Because of this, she explained, “swimming/bathing/boating in River Ravi and canals besides playing on the banks of these water bodies in Lahore district” will be illegal from Monday, July 22, through Friday, July 28.

A separate statement from the DC indicated that no one was allowed to approach the Ravi River for “leisure or business” purposes, and that anyone living in the area should relocate with their pets.

“The water level is consistently rising and I appeal to the citizens to cooperate,” she said, reassuring them that district officials were ready to handle any catastrophe.

Dangerous Waters

The PDMA report states that nine homes and five public facilities were partially destroyed by the “very high” flood level in the Chitral River, and that six homes were completely flooded.

The river reportedly overflowed its banks, flooded surrounding homes, and ruined crops along the river’s path.

According to the PDMA, “torrential rain resulting [in] flash flooding in streams” has caused the river discharge to increase, blocking four highways in the Lower Chitral district.

It also reported that four roads were blocked in the Upper Chitral district for the same reason, and that two places in the Upper Dir area, where roads had been closed for all traffic earlier on Saturday, had opened up for one-way traffic.

Heavy gear is being mobilised to restore traffic in both Upper and Lower Chitral, the PDMA said, adding that “road clearance activities” were already underway in Upper Chitral.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of urban and flash floods in low-lying areas in the Punjab and K-P due to the impending arrival of further monsoon showers between July 22 and July 26.

The PMD predicts that monsoon currents will continue to penetrate the country from the Bay of Bengal, and that a westerly trough will continue to affect the northern and central areas of Pakistan for at least the next few days.

It’s possible that the south and west will get rained on, too, not only Punjab and K-P.

From July 22-26, the PMD warned that heavy rains could lead to urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Lahore, and trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and hilly areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Heavy rain may cause flash floods in Kashmir, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi/Islamabad on July 22–26, and in the hill torrent of Dera Ghazi Khan and the neighbouring districts of northeast Balochistan on July 22–23.

Heavy rains may cause flooding in Karachi and Hyderabad on July 22–24, according to the National Weather Service.

The Indus, Kabul, and Chenab rivers, as well as its tributaries Tarbela, Kalabagh, Chashma, Wasarak, Nowshera, and Marala, are all experiencing minor flooding, according to the Federal Flood Commission (FFC).

Saturday’s FFC daily forecast predicted a moderate to major flood along the Chenab and Jhelum rivers and their adjacent nullahs (Ravi and Chenab).

Mangla, Tarbela, and Chashma reservoirs had a combined live storage of 9.648 MAF, out of a total of 13,443 MAF.

Strong moist currents from the Bay of Bengal and mild moist currents from the Arabian Sea were infiltrating the upper areas of Pakistan up to 7,000 feet, as reported by the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) in Lahore.

Balochistan is still experiencing a weak seasonal low.

Over the next 24 hours, the upper catchment of the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers, along with Punjab (Lahore and Gujranwala), and Balochistan (Southern parts of Kalat Division), are forecast to experience scattered to widespread wind thunderstorms/rain of moderate and heavy intensity with isolated very heavy falls.

Over the upper catchments of the Indus, Jhelum, K-P, the rest of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan (Zhob, Loralai, Sibbi, and Nasirabad Divisions), wind thunderstorms/rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy fall are also likely over the aforementioned time. (App Suggestions Welcome)

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