Pakistan, get ready for monsoon rains starting Friday

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said Wednesday that the monsoon system will enter in the country from Friday. In a statement, the Met office spokesperson said that rains and thundershowers are expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Friday to Tuesday. “Current prevailing hot and humid weather conditions are likely to subside during the period,” read the statement. Several others areas in the country, including Zhob, Barkhan, Loralai, Sibbi; Sukkur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Mirpurkhas, are likely to receive rains from Saturday to Monday. The Met department has warned that heavy rains can generate flash flooding in nullahs in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In June, the Met department had predicted that the country will receive 10% more monsoon rains than previous years. It had said Kashmir and Sindh are likely to receive 20% more rains this year. In Karachi alone, at least 36 people had died in rain-related incidents in July last year. Last year, over 160 people died across Pakistan in rain-related incidents due to the heavy rainfalls. Most of them had died due to incidents of roof collapse and electrocution.