Islamabad, Aug 4 (PTI) Pakistan’s meteorological department on Monday issued an alert warning of high risk of monsoon-triggered glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods, and landslides in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The alert noted that a wet spell was likely to affect both regions in the current week as “scattered rain and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls” were expected.
As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s latest forecast, rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are expected to hit the northern parts of the country from today till Thursday.
At least 299 people, including 140 children, have died in Pakistan and more than 700 others have been injured in flash floods and torrential rains that have battered several parts of the country since late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The Gilgit-Baltistan region in PoK braved rains and flash floods, including the one that hit the Babusar area on July 21, causing landslides and damaging infrastructure.
So far, 10 people, mostly tourists, have lost their lives, with between 10 and 15 tourists still missing.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the region on Monday to review the damage and distribute relief funds to the flood-affected people. State-run PTV said in a post on X that the prime minister announced Rs 4 billion to prepare for dealing with the natural disasters. He also announced the activation of a 100-megawatt solar project soon.
Shehbaz said he had directed the chairman of the NDMA to conduct mapping of the damages and submit a report in this regard.
Earlier in the day, he chaired a review meeting on the damages caused by the recent monsoon rains. He emphasised that an advanced weather alert system must be established for tourist destinations based on seasonal forecasts, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. PTI SH GRS GRS GRS GRS
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