LAHORE: The Punjab government has intensified emergency measures after the prediction to receive 25 per cent more monsoon rains this year in the province.

Monsoon rains have commenced in Punjab and the first spell will continue till July 1.

Rainfall with strong winds and thunderstorms are predicted in most districts of the province.

Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed instructed commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province to remain alert. He said all relevant departments including Rescue 1122 and Water and Sanitation Authority (Wasa) are on alert.

The PDMA predicted rains with strong winds in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat,Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujarat, Jhelum and Gujranwala.

Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sargodha and Mianwali are also expected to receive rain. Rainfall is predicted in south Punjab including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar from June 26-28.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General (DG) Irfan Ali Kathia also issued an alert to the district administrations. `Monsoon rains are predicted to be 25pc more this year,` he said.

He said the alert was issued to the departments of health, irrigation, communications, local government and livestock and citizens were requested to take precautionary measures and avoid unnecessary travel. He said tourists should plan their travel as per weather conditions and warned of landslide risk in Murree, Galiyat and other mountainous areas due to heavy rains.

Citizens should stay in safe places to protect themselves from lightning and call the PDMA helpline in case of emergency.

Earlier in the light of the upcoming monsoon season, the Lahore General Hospital administration constituted an emergency disaster response supervisory team to ensure the uninterrupted provision of medical services to the patients and timely drainage of rainwater from lowlying areas of the hospital.

The team includes senior administrative doctors, representatives from the works department, DCNS, chief pharmacist, sanitary inspector and technical staff from relevant sections.Meanwhile, Wasa had set up emergency camps in different areas of the city to tackle monsoon challenges.

Wasa Punjab Director General Tayyab Fareed and Managing Director Ghufran Ahmad visited the monsoon emergency relief camp at Liberty Chowk.

They issued instructions to keep machinery and staff fully active at all emergency camps.