Islamabad – The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a fresh weather alert, forecasting another spell of heavy monsoon rains across the country from August 29 to September 2, raising fears of flash floods, urban inundation, and landslides in vulnerable regions.

According to the PMD, moist currents from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal will enter Pakistan starting August 29, followed by a westerly weather system expected to affect the country from August 30 onward. The combination of these two weather patterns is likely to generate intense rainfall activity in upper and central parts of the country.

Regions at Risk

The forecast highlights multiple danger zones:

• Flash Flooding in Nullahs & Streams:
  • Azad Kashmir, Murree, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi – risk of overflowing streams.
  • Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Swabi, and Mardan – high likelihood of torrential runoff causing flash floods.
• Urban Flooding:
  • Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Mardan – low-lying areas may be submerged due to heavy rainfall.
• Landslides:
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, and Azad Kashmir are particularly vulnerable.
• Infrastructure Damage:
  • Gusty winds and downpours could topple weak structures, electric poles, and billboards, compounding urban hazards.

Authorities on High Alert

Disaster management agencies have been directed to stay on standby, while district administrations in Punjab, KP, and northern areas are reviewing contingency plans. Emergency evacuations may be initiated in vulnerable villages if water levels in streams begin to rise rapidly.

Public Advisory

Residents of hilly regions have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly along landslide-prone roads. People in urban centers are advised to stay away from flood-prone underpasses and low-lying settlements. Farmers have been warned that excessive rainfall could damage standing crops, particularly rice, maize, and fodder.

Outlook Beyond 2025

Climate experts note that such back-to-back heavy rain spells are becoming more frequent due to climate change. The overlapping monsoon systems are expected to strain Pakistan’s flood defenses, with fears that already swollen rivers could face renewed pressure.