PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted widespread rain, strong winds, thunderstorms and snowfall over high mountains for most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from April 2 to April 5.
The weather system is expected to cause isolated heavy falls and hailstorms in Chitral, Lower and Upper Dir, Buner, Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra, Bajaur, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Hangu, Karak, Lakki Mawat, Kohat, Bannu, Tank, DI Khan, North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts during the forecast period.
The weather department has also warned that the strong winds and hailstorms could damage infrastructure and standing crops in the province. Landslides were also feared in some vulnerable parts of hilly areas during the forecast period, and the day temperatures would fall significantly during the rain spell.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert to all district administrations to take precautionary measures to avoid a loss of lives and damage to crops, infrastructure, and animals.
The authority also directed the concerned departments to ensure the availability of emergency services, machinery, staff and other resources, remain vigilant in restoring road communications in case of landslides and keep monitoring of local streams besides activating emergency helpline No 1700 to respond to any emergency timely.
Unexpected rain impact of climate change
The upcoming weather system has sparked concerns among the locals, who are already experiencing the impact of climate change in the form of unpredictable and extreme weather patterns.
The authorities have advised the public to stay indoors during the spell and avoid unnecessary travel to reduce the risk of accidents and casualties.
The local administrations have also started taking measures to mitigate the impact of the impending weather system. They have directed the relevant departments to clear the drainage systems, remove debris from the nullahs, and trim the trees near the roads to avoid any disruption of the transport system.
The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are bracing themselves for a severe weather spell that is expected to last for four days. The authorities have asked them to take precautionary measures and stay safe during this period.
