Pakistan braces for heavy monsoon floods as Sindh and Punjab issue alerts

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Sindh placed the province on high alert after forecasting thunderstorms and heavy rain across 23 districts until July 25. Emergency measures include a 24‑hour control room, de‑watering pumps and the deployment of ten vehicles in Karachi and dozens more in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana to address potential urban flooding.

In Punjab, torrential monsoon rains have raised the death toll to 21, with Lahore receiving 343 mm of rain in 48 hours. Floodwaters reached three to four feet at more than 130 sites, submerging neighbourhoods, closing underpasses and creating sinkholes on major roads. Federal flood officials reported that national reservoirs are nearing capacity, with Tarbela Dam at 69 % and Mangla Dam at 45 %. The Flood Forecasting Division warned of continued thunderstorms, flash flooding in hill torrents and further urban inundation across several districts.