LAHORE: Widespread rain that might be very heavy to extremely heavy at places is likely to generate river and urban flooding from Monday to Tuesday, posing a substantial threat to life and property over large areas.
The rain will be caused by a combination of very strong westerly wave and a monsoon low pressure over the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the Meteorological Department said in a warning issued on Sunday.
It began to rain in Lahore on Sunday.
According to the Met department, a low pressure area over central India is likely to move northwest over the next 24 hours. It may persist over northern India during the next three to four days. Under the influence of this low pressure, strong to very strong monsoon current will penetrate into upper Punjab and Kashmir during the week.
Cold air associated with a fresh westerly wave is also likely to grip upper parts of the country on Monday.
Due to the interaction of thee two systems, heavy to extremely heavy rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar and Kohat divisions and Kashmir from Monday to Wednesday. Scattered heavy rain is expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Zhob, Sibi and Naseerabad divisions.
The department forecast flash floods in vulnerable districts of Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, and Lahore divisions and Kashmir on Monday and Tuesday, and in D.G. Khan, D.I. Khan, Zhob, Sibi, and Naseerabad on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The department’s Lahore based Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said there was every likelihood of high to very high flood in the rivers Chenab and Jhelum and their tributaries (Bhimber, Bhundar, Halsi, Daulti, Aik, Palku, Kahan and Bunnah) in the Sialkot region.
The rivers Kabul, Kurram and Gambila and their tributaries along with those of the Ravi (Deg, Bhed, Hasri, Jhajri, Bassantar, Bein, Ujh, and Tarnah) are also likely to be in high to very high flood.
Urban flooding is likely in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, D.I. Khan, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Malakand and Hazara from Aug 13 to 15.
Flash flooding cannot be ruled out in the hill torrents of D.G. Khan.
The Sutlej at Ganda Singhwala is likely to be in low flood during the next 24 hours.
The Met department advised all authorities concerned to remain alert during the week, particularly from Monday to Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Noorpur Thal received 60mm of rain on Sunday, Lower Dir 43mm, Multan 27, Bahawalnagar and Saidu Sharif 21, Khuzdar 14, Gujranwala 13, Malam Jabba eight, Islamabad and Lahore seven, Barkhan six and Murree, Okara and Risalpur five millimetres each.
Rain again started in Lahore in the evening and it was heavily overcast.