Pakistan Weather News / Updates

[ghazi52]

The rain that laid bare Karachi’s vulnerabilities … and my own​

This story is about us, the citizens of Karachi, called ‘resilient’ every year, but fast running out of resilience ... and hope.

Muzhira Amin
August 23, 2025

It was almost deja vu. We’d walked through this foul water before. Felt our way through barely recognisable streets from memory. When you live in a city like Karachi, it almost begins to feel normal. And yet, nothing can get you used to the fact that you — the privileged you, who has made a living out of writing on the city’s myriad governance issues — will be among the thousands stranded in water-clogged streets as you experience it in real time. Time and again.

In 2020, when Karachi witnessed one of its worst floods in decades — it can’t definitively be the worst because we like beating our own records — my dad and I walked back home, to Garden West, from I.I. Chundrigar Road in waist-high floodwaters.

At 55, my father was surprisingly surefooted with the stride of a mountain goat. He dragged me through the deluge, all the while making sure to keep an eye open for potholes, ragged stones and bare electric wires. He even cracked a joke here and there to ensure that the neurotransmitters in my brain remained balanced.

Five years on, as we relived the ordeal, wading through a mix of sewerage and rain water on the night of August 19, it suddenly dawned on me how drastically things had changed. The roles had reversed, and I hadn’t even realised it until we were in the thick of the storm.

Over 150mm of rain and Karachi had once again sunk. Why that happens every time and what the authorities are doing about it are questions all of us Karachiites ask every monsoon season. By now, we have come up with newer and better questions: Why does the mayor keep pretending all is well even as thousands of Karachi’s citizens remain stranded? Why can’t we plan better? Is it getting worse with each passing year? Is this the new normal?

Unfortunately, nothing has changed about the responses. It is a tale told and heard a gazillion times: “Jab zyada barish ati hay to zyada pani ata hay.”



A cloudy sky captured from the roof of my house.

I have been told I don’t learn from my mistakes (I get that from my dad), and so, living up to the reputation, I was at my workplace at 10am sharp on Tuesday. It had already begun raining before I logged onto my computer. The weather apps flashed red with warnings of rain that was going to last the entire day. But I was unfazed.

When are these predictions ever accurate? So I got to work, resolute and focused to file the story that was sitting in my drafts for days. At around 1pm, my boss came in and cautioned of an impending rainstorm. “Leave now,” he warned.

I brushed him off initially, but then it did start raining quite heavily. By 3pm, the sky was hidden behind thick and dark clouds, intimidating us. I immediately called my dad. “What’s the plan?” I asked him. He told me to stay put, his soothing voice devoid of any worry or anxiety.

And that’s exactly what I did. Even when nerves got the best of my colleagues, I remained calm. “Abba hain naa,” I thought to myself. You see, my father and I are partners in crime and despair. And in my head, it was supposed to stay the same forever; he would handle everything, he was invincible, and age, well, that was just a number.

 

[ghazi52]

When are these predictions ever accurate? So I got to work, resolute and focused to file the story that was sitting in my drafts for days. At around 1pm, my boss came in and cautioned of an impending rainstorm. “Leave now,” he warned.

I brushed him off initially, but then it did start raining quite heavily. By 3pm, the sky was hidden behind thick and dark clouds, intimidating us. I immediately called my dad. “What’s the plan?” I asked him. He told me to stay put, his soothing voice devoid of any worry or anxiety.

And that’s exactly what I did. Even when nerves got the best of my colleagues, I remained calm. “Abba hain naa,” I thought to myself. You see, my father and I are partners in crime and despair. And in my head, it was supposed to stay the same forever; he would handle everything, he was invincible, and age, well, that was just a number.



Heavy, very heavy, downpour.

Little did I know that this city was going to prove me painfully wrong. It gets to the strongest of us.

By 6pm, panic had started to settle into our building. There was a mess outside — a massive traffic jam, inundated roads and a downpour that just wouldn’t stop. And then, to make matters worse, the power went out. As the clock struck 8pm, the water levels on the main arteries had risen significantly, and it was pitch black.

I got a call. Father was downstairs. I was told to leave my bag upstairs and come with essentials — mobile phone and spectacles — tightly packed in a plastic bag. I did as told, and when I got to the main gate of our building, my lanky dad stood in drenched clothes and jeans folded up to his knees. He had already done some walking.

He was smiling his usual toothy smile, but the stress lines were evident on his face. There was no way to get home but to walk. He gripped my hand and we began the long journey ahead of us.

As we waded through the waters in front of Shaheen Complex, mixed with a bit of everything from rainwater to raw effluent, a feeling of disgust crept through me. Immediately, my father’s hand tightened around mine, this time not to give support but to take it as his foot got entangled in a floating plastic bag.



The main I.I. Chundrigar Road is inundated.

At 60, he was recently diagnosed with Carpal tunnel syndrome — a condition caused when the median nerve, in the carpal tunnel of the wrist, becomes compressed.

He kept losing his footing, almost falling twice if I hadn’t caught him in time. When he almost stepped on a bare electric wire, I didn’t hold back in scolding him, and henceforth made sure to make a small announcement every time I saw one.

These announcements continued even when a slope or steps came along the way. “Acha acha, baap ko mat sikhao,” he would say, laughing it off while also listening intently. At some instances, especially when we moved from a footpath to the main road, I took the first step to make sure that the ground beneath was solid, feeling with my feet where the eyes couldn’t see through the murky water.

In a few spots, I fumbled and almost fell headfirst into the water, but, miraculously, I ended up restoring my balance and that of my father. Later at night, I saw how these instances had left red scars on my feet.

In other places, when I faltered, strangers, who were probably as vulnerable as we were in that moment, signalled an open manhole, a leaking drain or a rocky crater. Even when nothing was said, their presence alone was comforting.



Two men push a rickshaw through flooded streets.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Water-borne diseases, infections surge in Swat, Buner after flood disaster​

Doctors warn risk of disease outbreaks looms.

 

[ghazi52]

Eighth spell of monsoon in upper parts of Punjab starts today​

Imran Gabol
August 23, 2025



KASUR: Emergency service teams on rescue mission on the river Sutlej. — Dawn

LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Friday issued a high level flood alert in the Indus and Sutlej rivers and warned of a deteriorating situation over the next 24 hours due to the release of water from the Indian reservoirs and heavy rainfall in upper parts of Punjab.

The alert was issued as the authority predicted the eighth spell of monsoon rains set in upper parts of the country from Aug 23 to 27, further increasing the volume of water in the river systems.

The PDMA specifically issued a high flood alert for the Sutlej River and its tributaries due to the release of water from India. There is a low flood situation at Tarbela in the Indus River while medium level flood at Taunsa. The water flow at Kalabagh and Chashma is normal while a medium flood situation has been reported at Ganda Singh in the Sutlej River. There is low-level flood at Sulemanki River. Water flow in Chenab, Jhelum and Ravi rivers is normal.

Tarbela Dam is 100pc full while Mangla Dam is 75pc. Among Indian dams, Bhakra is 80pc, Pong 87pc and Thein Dam is 85pc full.

 

[ghazi52]

Over 400 people, 200 livestock evacuated in Pakpattan; 70 villages submerged by floodwater in Kasur

Heavier rains in upper Punjab

The authority predicted torrential rains and cloud bursts in the Upper Punjab. This spell of monsoon is going to be stronger.

The new spell of the monsoon will begin from Aug 23 (today). There is a possibility of an increase in water flow of the rivers from until 27.

Rain is predicted for Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi, Bahauddin, Gujarat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Mianwali, Khushab, Sargodha, Jhang, Nankana and Toba Tek Singh. Thunderstorms are also predicted in Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said the flow of water in the Sutlej River at Ganda Singhwala is 100,000 cusecs.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities to depute rescue teams in the affected areas immediately to cope up with the flood situation. She directed the administration and other relevant departments to carry out advance arrangements in the districts of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat and Gujranwala in view of possible heavy rains. She asked the commissioners and deputy commissioners to remain alert to deal with any untoward situation.

Maryam Nawaz directed the health authorities to set up Clinics on Wheels and field hospitals for the provision of timely treatment and care to the flood victims.

She sought provision of vaccination and medical treatment facilities for livestock in the flood-affected areas and prior information to the residents of the affected areas through SMS.

She asked the PDMA, administration and other relevant departments to make special arrangements in the areas adjacent to the rivers of Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers and immediate evacuation of the population residing adjacent to the river and take pre-emptive measures for the timely relocation of livestock.

 

[Cash gk]

PAKISTAN FLOOD WARNING: MOUNTAIN MUDSLIDE FORMS DANGEROUS LAKE

A 7-km-long lake just formed out of nowhere after a mountain mudslide dumped itself into the Ghizer River in northwestern Pakistan.

Now there’s a massive wall of water sitting there like a ticking time bomb.

Officials say it could unleash "catastrophic" floods if it bursts.

Four districts are in the danger zone: Ghizer, Gilgit, Astore and Diamer.

This comes after nearly 400 people were killed since August 15 in Pakistan’s worst monsoon flooding of the year.

Even Karachi, one of the largest cities in the world, was underwater this week.

Streets turned into rivers, and cars were swallowed whole.

Source: Reuters

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[ghazi52]

Mudslide-created lake in Gilgit Baltistan sparks fears of ‘catastrophic’ flooding​

The blockage has formed a dam-like structure that could burst, posing a serious flood threat, officials warned

Reuters
August 23, 2025

A glacial lake in Hunza. PHOTO: EXPRESS

A 7-km (4-mile) lake in northern Pakistan, created by a mountain mudslide, is threatening to burst and unleash potentially "catastrophic" floods downstream, officials warned on Saturday.

The mud flow descended into the main Ghizer River channel and blocked it completely on Friday, creating the lake in Gilgit Baltistan province, the National Disaster Management Authority said.

The blockage created a "dam-like structure" that poses a significant threat of bursting, it said in a situation report by its provincial office.

The new lake "can cause a catastrophic flood", said Zakir Hussain, director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

Four downstream districts - Ghizer, Gilgit, Astore and Diamer - face a serious threat, he told Reuters.

Ghizer is north of the mountain districts in northwest Pakistan where floods triggered by the worst of this year's monsoon rains and cloudbursts have killed nearly 400 people since August 15.

 

[Fatman17]

PAKISTAN FLOOD WARNING: MOUNTAIN MUDSLIDE FORMS DANGEROUS LAKE

A 7-km-long lake just formed out of nowhere after a mountain mudslide dumped itself into the Ghizer River in northwestern Pakistan.

Now there’s a massive wall of water sitting there like a ticking time bomb.

Officials say it could unleash "catastrophic" floods if it bursts.

Four districts are in the danger zone: Ghizer, Gilgit, Astore and Diamer.

This comes after nearly 400 people were killed since August 15 in Pakistan’s worst monsoon flooding of the year.

Even Karachi, one of the largest cities in the world, was underwater this week.

Streets turned into rivers, and cars were swallowed whole.

Source: Reuters

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

No CAPs allowed

 

[Fatman17]

PAKISTAN FLOOD WARNING: MOUNTAIN MUDSLIDE FORMS DANGEROUS LAKE

A 7-km-long lake just formed out of nowhere after a mountain mudslide dumped itself into the Ghizer River in northwestern Pakistan.

Now there’s a massive wall of water sitting there like a ticking time bomb.

Officials say it could unleash "catastrophic" floods if it bursts.

Four districts are in the danger zone: Ghizer, Gilgit, Astore and Diamer.

This comes after nearly 400 people were killed since August 15 in Pakistan’s worst monsoon flooding of the year.

Even Karachi, one of the largest cities in the world, was underwater this week.

Streets turned into rivers, and cars were swallowed whole.

Source: Reuters

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

What has IK got to do with the lake

 

[Fatman17]

To be merged in mega thread

 

[Cash gk]

What has IK got to do with the lake

There were two attached tweet it came itself. I think Mario tweeted these together and when I try to share one, it came with two of his tweets

 

[Fatman17]

There were two attached treat it came itself

No worries

 

[Cash gk]

No worries

If we develop this lake as Dam, we can take benefit of it

 

[ghazi52]

8 more killed in DI Khan as rains continue to batter KP, taking province’s death toll to 406​

Zahid Imdad
August 24, 2025

At least eight people were killed as heavy downpour lashed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, taking the total rain-related death toll in the province since August 15 to 406, Rescue 1122 said on Sunday.

Record rains in KP, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc on different parts of the province. Last week, the provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond.

On Thursday, the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an advisory, forecasting widespread rains in the province from August 22 to 26.

DI Khan Rescue 1122 spokesperson, in a statement, said that “torrential rains claimed the lives of eight people in DI Khan last night,” while 48 people were injured in roof collapse incidents across the city, as per a PDMA report.


According to the Rescue 1122 statement, “heavy rains and strong winds caused widespread infrastructure damage as multiple incidents of damage to trees, walls, and solar panels were reported.”

Rescue 1122 teams were “actively engaged in rescue operations in the affected areas”, said the statement, as all the injured people were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Rescue teams were working to clear out debris from the damage caused by the heavy deluge, the statement added.

Detailing rescue efforts, the District Emergency Officer Engineer Fasihullah said, “Our top priority is the protection of citizens, and we are utilising every available resource in the rescue operation”.

According to the latest data issued by KP PDMA, last night’s rains in DI Khan have taken the province’s rain-related death toll since August 15 to 406, which includes 305 men, 55 women and 46 children.