Weather system to intensify, bring more rains to Balochistan, KP

KARACHI: A shallow westerly wave is presently affecting upper and central parts of the country as this weather system is likely to intensify today and grip most parts of the country on Monday.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the new weather system will bring more rain to Makran and Kalat divisions and scattered places in Quetta, Zhob, Sibbi, Nasirabad, D.G Khan, D.I Khan divisions in Balochistan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu, Malakand, and Kohat districts will also experience rainfall.

Few moderate to isolated heavy showers are expected in Makran, Zhob and Quetta divisions while hailstorm at a few places during the period.

The weather department said hot and dry weather is expected elsewhere in the country.

In the past 24 hours, rain with thunderstorm and gusty winds occurred at scattered places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Quetta, Kalat, Sibbi and Zhob divisions. The weather remained hot and dry elsewhere in the country.

Over 20 people died in flash floods caused by heavy downpour in South Waziristan and Balochistan on Saturday.

Fourteen people, eight children among them, were killed when a passenger bus was swept away by strong currents near the Toi Khullah area of South Waziristan. The passengers were on their way from Wana to Zarmilan to attend a wedding when they met the accident.

Separately, a child died when a makeshift house was swept away by flash floods near Wana.

In Balochistan, four members of a family were killed in a flash flood in the Khanozai area of Balochistan’s Pishin district.  Another man was killed in a flash flood in the Pir Ghaib area of Balochistan’s Bolan district.

Separately, nine picnickers were swept away by strong currents. One of them drowned while the rest were rescued. The deceased was identified as Muhammad Naeem.

More than 150 Hindu pilgrims got stranded in the Kachhi area of Bolan district after flash floods in the area.