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Punjab Braces for Possible Drought Amid 40% Rainfall Deficit
Punjab faces a potential drought as rainfall remains 40% below normal. PDMA warns of water shortages in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar & Rahim Yar Khan, affecting crops.
ND
by News Desk
2025-03-26
Punjab Braces for Possible Drought Amid 40% Rainfall Deficit

The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an advisory warning of a possible drought in parts of the province due to a severe lack of rainfall.

The alert follows a report by the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) National Drought Monitoring Center (NDMC), which recorded a 40% below normal rainfall in Punjab between September 1, 2024, and March 21, 2025. Other provinces also faced drastic deficits, including Sindh (-62%) and Balochistan (-52%).

High-Risk Areas Identified

The PDMA has highlighted Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan as high-risk areas for drought. The prolonged dry spell poses a serious threat to rabi season crops, particularly rice production, raising concerns among farmers.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia stressed the need for advance warnings to farmers and immediate mitigation measures to counteract the impending water shortage in Thal and Cholistan.

“Preparations have been completed, and the administration remains alert,” a PDMA handout stated, adding that the School Education Department would also participate in an awareness campaign.

Impact of Drought & Rising Temperatures

  • Tarbela and Mangla dams at dead levels: The water level in Tarbela Dam is at 1,402 feet, and 1,061.75 feet in Mangla Dam, raising concerns over acute water shortages.
  • Temperature rise: March 2025 temperatures in the lower half of the country were 2-3°C above normal. Some areas have not received rain for over 200 days.
  • Flash drought risk: Experts anticipate a rapidly intensifying "flash drought" due to extreme temperatures, wind patterns, and low precipitation.

Regional Outlook & Forecast

The NDMC predicts that drought conditions will persist in Sindh, southern Balochistan, and Punjab’s lower eastern plains despite recent rainfall in central and upper Pakistan.

Between March 24 and 30, the PMD forecasts:
✅ Rain, wind, and thunderstorms in upper KP, GB, Azad Kashmir, and northern Balochistan on March 26.
✅ Isolated rain and hailstorms in lower KP and upper/southern Punjab.
❌ Dry weather expected in most other parts of the country.

With Pakistan’s water resources under increasing pressure, authorities urge farmers, policymakers, and the public to take precautionary measures to mitigate the effects of the looming drought.
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