Pakistan’s Meteorological Department issues an alert because of a flash drought

The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Aridity Monitoring Centre has issued a admonishing about an approaching beam drought, with altitude accepted to aggravate in Sindh, Balochistan, and ample genitalia of Punjab.

The bearings is decidedly apropos as aridity acuteness is projected to increase, assuming austere risks to agriculture, baptize resources, and circadian life.

In Sindh, abstinent aridity altitude are acceptable to appulse Padidan, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, and Karachi, while Ghotki, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Khairpur, and Sanghar are accepted to acquaintance a milder drought. In Balochistan, abstinent aridity is forecasted for Gwadar, Kech, Lasbela, Panjgur, and Awaran, admitting Chagai, Jafarabad, Jhal Magsi, Sibi, Noshki, and Washuk are acceptable to face balmy aridity conditions. Meanwhile, in Punjab, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan are additionally accepted to acquaintance balmy drought.

Drought altitude are already assiduous in the southern genitalia of Sindh and Balochistan, as able-bodied as the lower eastern plains of Punjab. The bearings has been affronted by 40% below-normal condensate recorded beyond the country amid September 1, 2024, and March 21, 2025. The best astringent deficiencies accept been empiric in Sindh (62% beneath normal), Balochistan (52%), and Punjab (38%), creating a analytical baptize shortage. This has led to alarmingly low baptize levels in Tarbela and Mangla dams, while rivers beyond the country are abounding at alarmingly low levels.

Adding to the crisis, the southern regions of the country accept recorded temperatures 2-3°C college than accustomed in March 2025. Some areas accept now accomplished over 200 after dry days, accumulative the drought’s appulse on baptize availability, agriculture, and livestock.

With deepening conditions, experts acquaint that baptize attention and aridity acknowledgment strategies charge be implemented actively to anticipate a all-encompassing crisis. Without actual action, Pakistan could face astringent challenges in aliment aegis and baptize accessibility in the advancing months.