ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Wednesday that a fresh monsoon spell from August 5 onwards is likely to trigger heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country, as the death toll from rain-related incidents since June 26 surged to 288.

Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since late June, killing 288 people in total as per data shared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The rains have killed 136 children in total and injured 691 people.

The Met Department also warned of flash floods in the northern regions’ local streams. These areas include Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan, Murree, Galliyat and Azad Kashmir.

“A fresh monsoon activity with isolated heavy falls is expected to start from Aug 5,” the PMD said in its daily weather report.

It warned that river flows are likely to increase up to the medium level under the influence of the upcoming monsoon spell.

Authorities in Punjab issued a flood alert on Wednesday, warning of rising water levels in the Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej rivers, with possible urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore over the next 48 hours.

The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) urged residents in low-lying or riverbank settlements to follow precautionary guidelines and cooperate with local officials during evacuations.

Pakistan, which ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, has witnessed increasingly erratic weather events in recent years.

In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, while a third of the country was submerged by devastating floods in 2022 that killed more than 1,700 people, affected over 30 million and caused an estimated $35 billion in damages.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly directed authorities to intensify rescue operations in flood-affected areas of the country.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Shamsheer and United States Ship (USS) Fitzgerald conducted an exercise in the North Indian Ocean to enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation, the Pakistan Navy said on Wednesday.

The exercise follows a military stand-off between Pakistan and India in May, which also made the naval forces of the two countries adopt a hostile posture, though it did not lead to any exchange of fire at sea.

Pakistan and the US navies have a long history of joint maritime cooperation through drills, bilateral training missions and multinational operations like AMAN and CTF-150.

These engagements have focused on maritime security and coordinated responses to regional threats, reflecting a strategic partnership in maintaining stability in the Arabian Sea.

“PNS Shamsheer and USS Fitzgerald conducted a passage exercise in the North Indian Ocean, underscoring the maritime cooperation between the two navies,” the Pakistan Navy said in a post on X. 

“The exercise featured a series of professional naval engagements aimed at enhancing interoperability,” it added. “These interactions reaffirm the shared commitment of both navies to maritime security and regional stability.”

The PNS Shamsheer is a guided-missile frigate commissioned by the navy in December 2009.

It was built in China and has a strong track record in maritime security, participating in regional patrols, anti-piracy operations multinational exercises and bilateral drills.

The USS Fitzgerald is a guided-missile destroyer commissioned in October 1995 under the US Seventh Fleet.

The navy drill between Pakistan and the US comes at a time when the two countries are also in the process of rejuvenating their political and economic relationship.

The exercise is part of Pakistan’s broader strategy to strengthen naval partnerships and reinforce its presence in the region amid ongoing strategic rivalries.