ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast scattered rain and thunderstorms in several parts of the country as several districts of Punjab continue to reel from the impact of flash floods triggered by record-breaking monsoon rains.
Several cities in Punjab, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, and Okara, witnessed extraordinary rainfall over the past 24 hours, with Islamabad recording 238mm and Rawalpindi receiving 252mm, the highest in the country.
Torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 60 people in the last 24 hours, provincial officials said on Thursday.
According to the PMD’s weather advisory, scattered rain and thunderstorms are expected on Thursday night in Kashmir, northeast and south Punjab, Islamabad, the Potohar region, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeast and southern Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
On Friday, mainly hot and very humid weather will prevail in most parts of the country, according to PMD.
However, isolated rain and thunderstorms are likely in Kashmir, northeast Punjab, the Potohar region and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Evening and nighttime showers are also forecast in parts of northeast and south Balochistan, southern Punjab, and upper and southeast Sindh.
In Islamabad, the forecast indicates partly cloudy conditions with a 40% chance of rain and thunderstorms.
For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PMD expects partly cloudy skies with rain and thunderstorms at isolated places including Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Hangu, Karak and Kurram. Some areas may experience heavy rainfall during the morning.
Punjab is likely to remain hot and very humid, though isolated rainfall is expected in cities including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhang, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Dera Ghazi Khan, among others.
In Sindh, partly cloudy weather is forecast in most districts, with chances of isolated showers in Ghotki, Sukkur, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Karachi, Thatta, Mirpur Khas and other southern and central regions. Some areas may also see heavy falls.
Similarly, parts of Balochistan including Barkhan, Sibbi, Kohlu, Musakhel, Qila Saifullah, Loralai, Dera Bugti, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Awaran and Lasbela may receive rain and thunderstorms with isolated heavy showers during evening or nighttime.
Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to witness partly cloudy weather with chances of rain and thunderstorms at isolated locations.
Over the past 24 hours, the PMD reported significant rainfall in Islamabad, the Potohar region, northeast Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. Islamabad’s airport recorded 238mm of rain, while Rawalpindi’s Katcheri and Gawalmandi received 252mm and 247mm respectively.
Other rainfall measurements include Chakwal (178mm), Okara (59mm), Murree (44mm), Sheikhupura (34mm), Jhelum (22mm), and Kakul in KP (35mm).
In Kashmir, Muzaffarabad Airport recorded 32mm of rain.
Despite the rain, many parts of the country remained sweltering. Dalbandin recorded the highest maximum temperature at 44°C, followed by Nokundi at 43°C, and Dadu and Turbat at 42°C.