Lahore:
Just as large cuts of the country continue to roll from Torrention Monsun rain and the rising human toll they have taken, the authorities on Friday sounded the alarm bells again.
A fresh monsoon wave, from 20 to 25 July, is ready to beat more regions, with authorities warning of heavy rain, gusty wind, dust storms and potential flash floods in the coming days.
Most districts in Punjab are expected to face stormy weather, even when relief continues to draw bodies from the rubble and rescuers trapped in rising waters. With the fourth Monsun stick preparing to hit with full force, authorities crawl to remain one step ahead of the flood.
The renewed warning comes when the rescue authorities confirmed at least seven deaths as over 180 individuals were rescued from vulnerable and flooded areas over Punjab.
The dead were primarily caused by roof collapse, landslide and other rain -related emergencies.
Meanwhile, flood alarms are expected for larger rivers, and urban areas are expected in cities in several cities.
According to Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Districts, including Rawal Pindi, Murree, Galyat, Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Jhelum and Gujranwala, probably experience strong rainfall with gusty wind.
Rain is also expected in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sargodha and Mianwali. For South Punjab, the forecast predicts rain in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar from 18 to 23 July.
Flood alert
In a separate development, PDMA Punjab issued a flood alarm for the river Indus at Kalabagh and Chashma, where high flood levels are expected within the next 24 hours.
The Commissioners of Sargodha and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions together with the Deputy Commissioners of Mianwali, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur, have been asked to remain aware of possible floods.
Rescue 1122 and relevant departments, including local authorities, agriculture, irrigation, health, forests, livestock and transport, have been directed to implement all preparations in advance. Emergency control rooms must remain fully staffed, while disaster -responding team and fuel supplies must be stored in readiness.
Authorities have been instructed to ensure the evacuation of people and livestock from river beds and to inventory camps with food, clean drinking water and important supplies.
Senate
PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar came down hard on Friday in the Senate about the federal and Punjab governments over “gross negligence” in the light of devastating monsoon rain and said the authorities were standing as mute spectators when the citizens were abandoned helpless.
In a speech in the house at a point of public importance, Senator Zafar regretted the loss of innocent and valuable life due to flooding and urban river and said people have become helpless and stranded.
He called for the immediate formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the administrative and disaster defects.
“The state machinery remained a quiet spectator, while roads became rivers, houses and whole neighborhoods were immersed and citizens were forced to climb the rooftops to save their lives,” he said.
“This is not the first time. Monsoon -Rain was expected well in advance, yet both federal and provincial departments remained unprepared.”
He also blasted the results of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial emergency institutions.
“Where was NDMA? Where were Punjab’s disaster agencies? What emergency plans had the government devised? And why was instant relief not given the victims?”
He claimed that the people have the right to ask if the government has any system in place to deal with such natural disasters.
“It is the duty of the state to protect citizens’ lives, property and dignity. If we fail today, tomorrow mothers will see for their children in flood water,” he warned.
He called on the Senate to demand a comprehensive report from the government about injuries and administrative reaction to the monsoon crisis and constitute a parliamentary committee to ensure accountability and emergency preparedness for future accidents.
High alarm
The Punjab government has placed all district administrations on high alarm.
PDMA -Human Director Irfan Ali Kathia said warnings have been sent to the departments of health, irrigation, communication and works, local authorities and livestock.
Counting bodies
The ongoing monsoon -till form has already caused massive loss of life and damage.
Rescue officials reported that three people died and that one was injured in Chiniot. Among the victims were 45-year-old Bano, wife of Riaz and 27-year-old Shamim, wife of Nawaz, who was killed when the roof of a house collapsed in Chak No. 140.
In another incident in Kot Bhawana, 45-year-old Zafar Abbas, son of Rehmat Ali, lost his life.
In Lahore, 35-year-old Naheed, wife of Siddiq, was killed and four others were injured after a roof collapsed in Maraka quarter on Multan Road.
In Okaras Chak 26-1al, Renala Khurd, 25-year-old Rani Bibi, wife of Mazhar Iqbal, was killed and four others were injured in a similar event.
Similarly, Sargodha reported the death of the 40 -year -old Sikandar, son of Muhammad Sharif, in Chak 86 on Lahore Road.
A deadly landslide in Chakwal’s Arrah village in Basharat, Choa Saidan Shah, killed 36-year-old Muhammad Zubair Ahmad. In Jhelum, in Jhelum, the roof, walls and other emergencies that were wounded 172 people were collected with the severely injured to nearby hospitals.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Meteorological Department has expected heavy monsoon activity across all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. In Sindh, heavy rain is expected from the night of July 18 to July 20 in Tharparkar, Umarkot, Mithi, Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Karachi, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Dadu, Kashmore, Benazirabad, Sanghar, Sukkur, Ghotki and the Dyoining Areas.
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, precipitation is predicted between July 21 and 25 in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kohat, Swat, Dir, Malakand, Shangla, Battagtram, Bajaur, Waziristan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Peshawar, Marran, Charsadda and Hangu.
Punjab is also ready to experience rain from 20 to 25 July in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Gujrat, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Sahiwal, Jhang, Okara, Bhakkar and Mianwali.
Balochistan may witness rain between July 18-19 and again from July 21 to July 23 in Lasbela, Awaran, Khuzdar, Quetta, Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Ziarat, Qalat, Shirani, Musa Khel, Loralai and Barkhan.
Met Office has warned of potential floods in local streams and nullahs in northeastern Punjab, KP and Kashmir along with the risk of urban areas in cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Peshawar.
Authorities have also marked the possibility of landslide in Murree, Galyat, KP, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Citizens have been encouraged to avoid weak infrastructure, water -turned areas and locations with solar panels or tall trees as security remains the government’s main concern.
