LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has issued an alert for the eighth spell of monsoon rains, forecasting showers across most districts of the province from August 29 until September 5.
According to the PDMA spokesperson, rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang, Attock, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Narowal and Gujrat.
Heavy downpours are also likely in Lahore, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Hafizabad, Kasur, Okara, Nankana Sahib, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Noorpur Thal, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Layyah, Bhakkar, Sahiwal and Pakpattan.
The authority has warned of urban flooding in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat and Sialkot, while landslides remain a risk in Murree, Galiyat and other hilly areas. Flash flooding in seasonal nullahs has also been flagged as a danger during the spell.
Director General PDMA Saif Anwar Jappa has directed commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province to remain alert, stating that, on the instructions of the Chief Minister of Punjab, an alert has also been issued to district administrations.
He said administrations in major cities must ensure precautionary measures in advance given the risk of urban flooding. Alerts have additionally been issued to the health, irrigation, communication and works, local government and livestock departments.
District administrations have been instructed to remain active in the field and to keep necessary arrangements in place for the duration of the spell.
The DG PDMA appealed to citizens to adopt precautionary measures in bad weather, to avoid residing in dilapidated and mud-built houses, and to remain in safe locations during windstorms. He urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, to stay in secure places to guard against lightning strikes, and to keep children away from low-lying areas, standing water, electricity wires and poles.
The PDMA said citizens should under no circumstances remain in the open during thunderstorms and stormy weather. In any emergency, the authority’s helpline 1129 can be contacted.
Despite the forecast, the heat has yet to relent in the provincial capital. Lahore’s temperature was recorded at 33 degrees Celsius, with a minimum of 29 and a maximum expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius. According to Meteorological Department figures, wind speed in the city was recorded at 5 kilometres per hour, while humidity climbed to 63 percent — a combination that pushes the perceived temperature well above the thermometer reading.
Punjab’s monsoon season typically runs from late June or early July through mid-September, arriving in distinct spells rather than as continuous rainfall. This year’s season has already produced seven such spells before the current alert, keeping district administrations and rescue services in a near-permanent state of readiness.
Urban flooding has become the province’s most persistent monsoon vulnerability, particularly in Lahore, Rawalpindi and the Gujranwala–Gujrat–Sialkot belt, where rapid construction, encroachment on natural drainage channels and the limited capacity of ageing stormwater systems mean that even a short, intense burst of rain can inundate low-lying roads and underpasses within minutes.
In the northern hill districts, the concern shifts to slope stability. Saturated soil on the steep terrain around Murree and Galiyat raises the probability of landslides that can sever road links and strand tourists, while seasonal nullahs in the Potohar region can rise from dry beds to dangerous torrents with very little warning.
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