Pakistan weather update: Pre-monsoon rains to begin on June 22

ISLAMABAD: The Meteorological Department has predicted the start of the pre-monsoon season from June 22, with 25% more rainfall than normal expected across the country.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said that arrangements have been completed to deal with possible flooding situations, especially in urban centres and low-lying areas. “We are fully prepared to respond to any emergency that may arise during the monsoon,” he said.

According to the PDMA, some cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala and Sialkot may receive 60% more rainfall than the seasonal average, which may increase the risk of urban flooding and waterlogging.

A day earlier, the Met Office said that this year’s monsoon rainfall is predicted to be 25% more than average, with August likely to see the highest concentration of rains and cloud activity.

Kathia said that all necessary arrangements have been made to deal with the expected heavy rains and possible floods across Punjab. He assured that early warnings will be issued in major cities including Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad to minimize the damage and ensure public safety.

Special attention was paid to the threat of urban flooding and cloudburst. The DG PDMA and the Chief Meteorologist jointly agreed to formulate a comprehensive response plan to deal with such severe weather events.