The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a warning to provinces, urging them to prepare for a series of extreme climate events. These events include intensive heat waves, extraordinary snow melting, land sliding, flash floods, forest fires, and cyclones, according to a report by The News, citing an official letter from the disaster management authority.
The official letter has notified all provincial governments about the need for extraordinary preparations to cope with potential extreme climate events occurring between April and October.
The NDMA has provided region-specific instructions to all disaster management authorities and stakeholders to issue impact-based alerts and advisories tailored to each region. This proactive approach aims to facilitate timely and effective preparations for the anticipated climate events.
The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) have been tasked with monitoring changes in glacier melt-vulnerable sites, specifically "glacier lake outburst flood” (GLOF) sites. They are also responsible for continuously assessing the potential impact of these developments on river flows downstream and issuing monitoring reports on a fortnightly basis.
In addition, the PMD has forecast higher temperatures in northern regions and along the coastal belt from May to July, and this information has been shared with the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) of Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
Rain-thunderstorm forecast
Furthermore, the NDMA has issued an advisory alert to federal and provincial departments in response to a rain-thunderstorm forecast by the PMD from May 22 to May 26.
The advisory report highlights that a westerly wave is expected to enter the western and upper parts of the country on May 22, persisting throughout the week and resulting in precipitation with occasional breaks.
As a result of this weather system, wind-dust/thunderstorms and rain, including the possibility of hailstorms and isolated heavy falls, are expected in regions including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), GB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) from the evening/night of May 22 to May 26.
Sindh and Balochistan are also expected to experience wind-dust or thunderstorms and rainfall from May 22 to May 24.
These warnings and advisories serve as important reminders for all concerned authorities to prioritize disaster preparedness measures and take necessary actions to mitigate the potential impact of extreme weather events.
