NDMA warning on impact of rains – Newspaper

ISLAMABAD: The Na­­tio­nal Disaster Manag­e­ment Authority (NDMA) on Wednesday issued a warning regarding the possible impact of light to moderate showers in central and northern regions of the country.

The NDMA while quoting The Weather Channel, said there was a possibility of isolated heavy falls and hailstorms in some areas.

In a statement, the NDMA said it had identified potential risks of landslides in mountainous reg­ions, flash flooding, and hill torrents in vulnerable areas due to the rain. Besides property, crops and vegetation might also be damaged due to hailstorms.

The authority reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens across the country. As the weather situation developed, the NDMA would continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant advisories accordingly.

When inquired why the authority was quoting data from The Weather Channel when it had a whole meteorological department, the authority said it relied on “all sources” for weather updates. However, when contacted, an official at the Met Office in Islamabad confirmed to Dawn that it last issued a weather advisory on May 26.

When asked to corroborate the advisory issued by The Weather Channel, the Met Office said it could only comment on it after the NDMA officially shared the advisory with Pakistan Meteorologi-cal Department (PMD).

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2023