Northern Pakistan: The National Disaster Management Authority’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) has issued a 72-hour potential flood alert as heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds are forecast across Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. NDMA’s official alert portal also lists severe rainfall and flash/urban flood warnings for these regions.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, vulnerable locations include Gilgit, Diamer, Ghizer, Hunza, Astore, Skardu and Shigar. In AJK, areas including Bagh, Poonch, Muzaffarabad, Haveli, Bhimber, Sudhanoti, Mirpur and Kotli have been identified as potentially vulnerable.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand, Shangla, Battagram, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur may face flash-flood risk. NDMA has also warned of possible urban flooding in Nowshera, Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan.
The weather system could increase flows in the Indus, Kabul, Swat, Panjkora, Kurram, Tochi, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers. Residents and tourists have been advised to stay away from rivers, streams and other high-risk locations, avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable mountainous areas and follow local-administration alerts.
