What happened
The Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments warned on Friday, 21 August 2026, that a new spell of rain and thunderstorms would affect central and northern Pakistan over the weekend, after an advisory from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
In separate advisories, the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) of the two provinces said rain was forecast in most districts from Friday evening through Sunday.
Where rain is forecast
In Punjab, the PDMA said heavy rain was expected in Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal and Okara, with rain also forecast in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain was expected in upper districts and plain areas, including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Kohistan, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Kohat, Kurram and Hangu.
The Punjab PDMA warned of urban flooding in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Narowal, and the KP PDMA flagged the same risk in Mardan and Swabi. Landslides were possible in Murree, Galiyat and other hilly areas of Punjab, and in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Bar-Swat, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Kohistan and Abbottabad in KP.
River and flood situation
The Punjab PDMA said water flows had risen after heavy monsoon rain. It reported a moderate flood situation on the Indus at Kalabagh, with an inflow of 425,000 cusecs and an outflow of 416,000 cusecs, and low-level flooding at Tarbela, Chashma and Taunsa. Flows in the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi and Sutlej were normal.
It reported a high-level flood at Nala Palkho in Wazirabad and low-level flooding in Nala Basantar and Nala Aik in Narowal. Tarbela Dam was 100 per cent full and Mangla Dam was 72 per cent full, it said.
The toll so far
According to the Punjab PDMA, 54 people have died and 341 have been injured in rain-related incidents this monsoon season, with no loss of life reported in the past 24 hours. On Thursday, two members of a family were killed and two injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Topi tehsil of Swabi district, and Rescue 1122 said heavy rain caused other buildings to collapse as flash floods hit the district.
Earlier in August, heavy rain flooded Islamabad and Rawalpindi and a pile-up on the M-2 motorway killed one person.
Preparedness
PDMA Punjab Director General Saif Anwar Jappa said commissioners and deputy commissioners had been placed on alert, and that the health, irrigation, communication and livestock departments had been told to prepare. He urged citizens to avoid dilapidated or mud-built houses and to protect themselves from lightning and windstorms.
The KP PDMA warned of damage to weak structures, electricity poles, billboards and solar panels, and advised tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during the rain. The provincial helplines are 1129 in Punjab and 1700 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Why it matters
The advisory came as Pakistan’s monsoon season, which began in late June, has already caused widespread flooding and casualties. Authorities have repeatedly warned that poor drainage and encroachments leave cities such as Lahore and Rawalpindi exposed to flash flooding, and the latest forecast again puts low-lying districts on alert.
What remains unclear
The forecast is subject to change, and the exact intensity and location of the heaviest rain is not yet known. It is also not clear how much the new spell will add to the season’s toll.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details and quoted remarks are as carried by the cited source, which was reviewed on 21 August 2026.
- Dawn — "Fresh spell of rain, thunderstorms forecast across Punjab, KP from Aug 21 to 23"21 August 2026 · The PMD and PDMA advisories, the districts at risk, river flows and the season's casualty figures.
