A new spell of westerly winds has entered the upper regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting forecasts of rain and strong winds.

According to a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the prevailing weather conditions have also raised concerns over possible glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), following which alerts have been issued to the administrations of the relevant districts.

The PDMA warned that the risk of flash floods and landslides has increased in upper districts including Upper and Lower Chitral, Swat, Upper Dir, Upper Kohistan and Mansehra due to the possible bursting of glacial lakes.

Also Read : Umar Hayat Sentenced to Death in High-Profile Sana Yousaf Murder Case

The spokesperson said district administrations have been directed to continuously monitor sensitive glacial sites and ensure that early warning systems remain active.

The PDMA has advised local residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary movement near streams, rivers and waterways, while people living in low-lying areas have been urged to stay alert and shift to safer locations in case of any emergency.

According to the PDMA, the relevant district administrations have also been instructed to conduct emergency drills, keep evacuation centres operational and ensure the availability of rescue personnel.

The spokesperson further advised the public to immediately move to safer places if they notice sudden changes in water flow or hear unusual sounds of mudslides or falling rocks.

The PDMA also stressed the need to move livestock and essential belongings to elevated and safer locations in sensitive areas and to keep community alert systems active.

According to the spokesperson, institutions including the National Highway Authority (NHA), Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and the Communication and Works Department (C&W) have also been directed to take precautionary measures to deal with possible road blockages.

The PDMA said its Emergency Operations Centre is fully operational, and the public can contact the helpline 1700 in case of any emergency.