PESHAWAR – The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has forecast rain accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds across most districts of the province starting from this evening. This weather system is expected to continue intermittently until Saturday.
According to the PDMA, districts likely to be affected include Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Malakand, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Waziristan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Bannu, Karak, and Kohat.
The PDMA has issued directives to all district administrations to take precautionary measures to deal with any untoward incidents arising from the rains. Administrations have been instructed to ensure the availability of small and large machinery.
The public is advised to stay away from power lines, dilapidated buildings and structures, signboards, and billboards during the rainy period. Farmers are urged to plan their activities keeping the weather forecast in mind. Tourists and local populations in sensitive upland areas are advised to take precautionary measures and stay informed about weather conditions.
District administrations in sensitive areas have been instructed to disseminate warning messages in local languages. All relevant departments are to remain vigilant for road link restoration and provide alternative routes in case of road closures.
The Director-General PDMA has advised tourists to contact the PDMA helpline at 1700 for information on weather conditions and road closures before heading to tourist destinations. A PDMA spokesperson confirmed that their Emergency Operation Centre is fully functional and urged the public to report any untoward incidents to the free helpline 1700.
