Pakistan Warns of Stronger 2026 Monsoon as Government Orders Early Preparations

Pakistan Warns of Stronger 2026 Monsoon as Government Orders Early Preparations
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Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned on Wednesday that the 2026 monsoon season is likely to be significantly stronger than this year’s, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed authorities to begin preparations without delay, according to Arab News. The alert follows a deadly 2024 monsoon period in which more than 1,000 people were killed and widespread flooding devastated multiple regions.

This year’s most severe flooding occurred in August in Punjab province, where over 130 people died and more than 4.5 million were affected. Expansive crop losses and large-scale displacement compounded the damage. Pakistan continues to face a pattern of extreme weather — including floods, droughts and heatwaves — which experts and officials attribute to climate change. Government figures indicate that nearly 4,600 people have died in flood-related disasters since 2010.

NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik said forecasts suggest the 2026 monsoon will be 22–26 percent more intense than in 2024, warning that accelerated glacier melt could trigger further glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). He noted that Pakistan experienced multiple monsoon-related hazards across Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab and Sindh this year, prompting the evacuation of more than 3.1 million people from high-risk areas.

Prime Minister Sharif has approved a short-term climate resilience plan aimed at reducing losses during next year’s monsoon. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik said the plan includes repairs to damaged dams, embankments and floodgates, with all restoration work expected to be completed within 200 days.

Officials said the government will also establish an integrated nationwide early warning system. The move is intended to unify existing alerts issued by different ministries and ensure that communities in danger receive immediate warnings before notifications reach federal authorities.