KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday predicted another spell of monsoon rains across the country with occasional gaps, starting from July 11 and likely to intensify from July 13 as a fresh westerly wave is expected to approach the region. The Met Office has warned that these weather conditions could bring scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall in various parts of the country, raising the risk of flash floods, landslides, and infrastructural damage. According to the forecast, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, including Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, and Mirpur, are likely to receive rain with thunderstorms and scattered heavy downpours from July 11 to 17. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, areas such as Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Dir, Abbottabad, and Peshawar can expect similar weather over the same period. Punjab and Islamabad will witness rain, wind and thunderstorms with scattered heavy showers particularly in Rawalpindi, Murree, Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Sargodha from July 11 to 17. Southern Punjab areas including Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, D G Khan and Rahim Yar Khan will also experience intermittent rain during this period. In Balochistan, northeastern and southern parts including Quetta, Zhob, Khuzdar, Kalat and Lasbela are likely to receive heavy rains on July 11 and from July 13 to 16. Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, and Mirpurkhas, is expected to receive moderate rainfall from July 15 to 17. The PMD warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall may trigger flash flooding in local streams and nullahs of Murree, Mansehra, Kohistan, Chitral, Swat, Nowshera, Islamabad, and hill torrents of D.G. Khan and northeastern Punjab. There is also a risk of urban flooding in cities such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Peshawar between July 15 and 17. Landslides and mudslides are possible in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, potentially leading to road closures and travel disruptions. The department further cautioned that strong winds, heavy downpours, and lightning may damage weak infrastructure, including rooftops and walls of mud houses, billboards, electricity poles, vehicles, and solar panels. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025