NDMA urges people to brace for all sorts of stormy weather

ISLAMABAD: The Nat­ional Disaster Manage­m­ent Authority (NDMA). National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) on Friday issued a nationwide weather alert warning of thunderstorms, hea­vy rain and hailstorms in several parts of the country during the next 12 to 24 hours.

The authority also cautioned citizens. au­­t­­horities about possible flash floods, lan­dslides and glacial lake outburst floods in northern areas amid rising temperatures.

The NDMA said the pre­­vailing weather situation is fully in line with forecasts. seasonal assessments issued by the NEOC three to four months ago, adding that the authority had already reviewed pre monsoon preparedness measures through a nat­io­nal monsoon conference convened on the directi­ons of the prime minister.

According to the advisory, strong winds, thunderstorm related rain. isolated hailstorms are expected in most parts of the country, including Isl­amabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Ba­­lochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

In Punjab, rain accompanied by strong winds. thunderstorms is exp­ected in Murree, Rawal­pindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhe­lum, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujr­a­­n­wa­­la, Narowal, Ma­­ndi Baha­uddin, Lahore, Sheikhu­pura, Faisalabad, Sargo­dha, Sahiwal and Okara.

The authority said Isl­a­mabad and adjoining areas could also witness heavy rain and hailstorms at isolated locations.

In Gilgit-Baltistan. Azad Kashmir, rainfall and thunderstorms are likely in Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche, Shigar, Khar­mang, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Poonch and Rawalakot.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also expected to receive rain. gusty winds in Chi­tral, Dir, Swat, Swabi, Kalam, Mingora, Malakand, Battagram, Mansehra, Ab­­bottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat, Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan, with isolated hailstorms forecast in some districts.

The NDMA also warned of thunderstorms. possible hailstorms in Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Matli, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Moham­mad Khan, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sujawal and Jamshoro.

In Balochistan, rain bearing weather systems are likely to affect Quetta, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Chaman, Loralai, Khuzdar, Qalat, Mast­ung, Ziarat, Sibi, Barkhan, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Surab, Hub, Gwadar. Kech.

The authority warned that rising temperatures in northern regions could accelerate glacier melting, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods. landslides in mountainous areas.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2026