ISLAMABAD 

Pakistan's northern areas recorded the highest temperatures on Saturday, reaching 48.5 degrees Celsius (119.3 degrees Fahrenheit), making it one of the hottest days in the region's history, according to the Meteorological Department.

The Chilas district of Gilgit-Baltistan experienced the highest temperature ever recorded, surpassing the previous record of 47.7°C set on July 17, 1997.

The Bunji area of Gilgit-Baltistan also recorded 46.1°C (114.98°F). The previous record extreme maximum temperature was 45.6°C on July 12, 1971, according to the Met Office.

The highest temperatures were recorded in Nokkundi, Balochistan, at 48°C (118.4°F), followed by Sibbi at 45°C (113°F), and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab, Dadu in Sindh, and Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 44°C (111.2°F).

"These persistent high temperatures over northern areas may accelerate snow and glacier melt, triggering GLOF and flash flood incidents in vulnerable valleys and surrounding regions during the upcoming week," according to a statement from the Met Office.

Gilgit-Baltistan is a popular tourist destination due to its breathtaking mountainous landscapes and scenic valleys. The region, which is home to some of the world's highest peaks, including K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, draws mountaineers, trekkers, and nature enthusiasts from all over the world.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (DNMA) issued a warning for heavy rain and flash floods in various parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces on Sunday.

"Heavy to very heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullah/streams of Murree, Galliyat, Manshera, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, hill torrents of D.G. Khan, Northeast Punjab, Kashmir, and parts of Balochistan," it said in a statement.