The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday forecast rainfall across the country, starting from April 1 (Wednesday).
In a weather forecast, the PMD said that due to a “westerly wave” approaching the “southerwestern parts of Balochistan from April 1”, parts of the country will receive “widespread rain-wind/thunderstorm” in the coming days.
It said that the westerly wave “is likely to persist” till April 4 (Saturday).
Under the influence of the system, the PMD forecast rain-wind/thunderstorm (with isolated heavy falls/hailstorm) in parts of Balochistan from April 2 (evening) to April 4 with “occasional gaps”.
These included Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Makran Coast (Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara), Lasbela, Khuzdar, Kharan, Chaghi, Dalbandin, Kalat, Sibi, Kohlu, Barkhan, Naseerabad, Quetta, Loralai, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Noshki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat and Mastung.
For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PMD said that rain, thunderstorms, including snowfall over mountains, were expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kurram, Swabi, Charsadda, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan.
In Punjab, rainfall and thunderstorm (with isolated hailstorm) were expected in Murree, Galiyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Jhang, Noorpurthal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan.
The department also forecast heavy rainfall in Dera Ghazi Khan and its surroundings during the period.
In Sindh, rainfall is expected, along with isolated hailstorms, in Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Dadu, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Larkana, and Shaheed Benazirabad, and Tharparkar from April 2 til April 4.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, the PMD forecast rain along with snowfall over the mountains in Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Guanche, and Shigar. In Kashmir, it issued a similar forecast for Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, and Mirpur.
The department warned of landslides in KP, GB and Kashmir during the forecast period. It also indicated the possibility of flash floods in the northeast of Balochistan, particularly Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kharan, Kalat, Mastung, Kohlu, Lasbela, Zhob, Qila Saifulah, Qila Abdullah and Sherani.
Flash floods were also likely in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and in the “local stream and nullahs of KP during the forecast period”.
It advised tourists to “remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary travel”.
“Windstorm/ hailstorm and lightning may damage weak structures (electric poles, billboards, solar panels, etc) during the forecast period,” the department said in its advisory.
