ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday said the country received unprecedented rainfall during the prevailing monsoon season which was 133% above average.
The prevailing abnormal monsoon rainfall pattern has surpassed the past 30-year record of rains in the season, the NDMA spokesperson in a news release said.
The rainfall ratio recorded in the federating units of the country revealed that the Balochistan province has been inundated by massive downpours and has received over 305% rains, whereas in Sindh the rainfall tendency recorded was 218% more, in Punjab more than 101%, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 26% more rains than average, in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 68% more rains, and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 9% more than average rains were recorded during the ongoing season.
The damages and deaths due to rains and floods being recorded noted 11 deaths in various incidents amid monsoon rains in the past 24 hours.
The total number of deaths due to floods and rains across the country has reached 549 while the number of injured was 628 reported across the country whereas none of the injured were in serious condition.
However, some 46,219 houses were damaged due to floods and rains whereas rescue and relief operations were underway in the flood-affected areas.
On the directives of the Prime Minister, the distribution of relief cheques of Rs 1 million per person to the flood victims was also in progress.
The NDMA also handed over relief goods to State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) of Sindh and Balochistan. The relief items included tents, tarpaulins, blankets, and mosquito nets.
The NDMA also handed over 60,000 litres of drinking water to PDMA Balochistan on behalf of Nestlé whereas the mineral water would be distributed in Quetta, Jhal Magsi, and Jafarabad. The PDMA Balochistan handed over 100 tents to the Harnai administration whereas the humanitarian organisations continued to deliver relief goods in the rain-affected areas and also set up medical camps in the disaster-hit areas.
The Authority underlined that as per the situation of the river, the flow of water in the rest of the rivers was normal whereas the water situation in all the dams of the country was normal.
The NDMA added that part of the Karakoram Highway was affected at Achar Nala near Dasu Dam, however, the highway was restored for light traffic movement.
It added that all other national highways and motorways were operational whereas rehabilitation work was ongoing on provincial and local roads.
RAIN ALERT ISSUED FROM AUGUST 10-13
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in an advisory issued on Friday revealed that the monsoon currents continuously penetrating in the country likely to become stronger from August 10 and would bring more rains in the country in the coming days.
The PMD has advised the authorities to remain alert of the chances of increased water level in the catchment areas of rivers, flash flooding and landslides in the vulnerable places.
Rain-wind/thundershower with isolated heavy falls is expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, northeast Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Balochistan and southeastern Sindh from August 6 to 9 with occasional gaps.
Rain-wind/thundershower with scattered heavy falls are expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and parts of Balochistan from August 10-13 with occasional gaps.
Heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala on August 8 and from August 10-12.
