The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has announced an impact-based weather advisory, predicting a severe heatwave most likely to hit South Punjab, Sindh, Eastern Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from June 18 to 22.
The weather advisory states that high-pressure systems in the upper atmosphere are expected to continue, leading to extreme temperatures, especially in southern Punjab, Sindh, eastern Balochistan, and KP.
Cities to be most affected
These cities and districts likely to be affected are Jacobabad, Dadu, Larkana, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Nawabshah in Sindh; Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rajanpur in southern Punjab; Sibi, Nasirabad, Dera Murad Jamali, and Jaffarabad in eastern Balochistan; and Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, and Bannu in southern KP.
These regions would have daytime temperatures ranging from 46–48°C, posing a considerable risk of heat-related illnesses like dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.
Precautionary measures
The advisory by NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC), warned the general public to exercise precautionary measures to keep themselves safe during the heatwave.
These include keeping unnecessary sun exposure to a minimum, particularly from 11 AM to 4 PM; maintaining hydration through consumption of plenty of water, even when not thirsty; dressing in light-colored, loose-fitting clothing; and applying hats or umbrellas when outdoors.
The warning placed utmost importance on never leaving children or elderly people alone in parked cars. It also asked people to check on susceptible people, such as the elderly, children, and people with chronic conditions.
The advisory further stated that NDMA is keeping a close eye on the situation and is in touch with stakeholders. Official updates should be followed through NDMA, PMD, and provincial governments, and any emergency should be reported to the local helpline or PDMA control rooms.
NDMA also requested that the public stay informed about local weather forecasts and adhere to safety instructions. For live updates and alerts, download and install the “Pak NDMA Disaster Alert” mobile application.
