The weather in Karachi will be very hot and humid on Thursday (today) before a strong monsoon system results in heavy rains by evening or night, said the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday, warning that the situation can flood some parts of the city.
“The temperature is expected to rise up to 39 to 41 degrees Celsius, with 70 to 80 per cent humidity. This will be followed by a thunderstorm with rain and gusty winds,” said Karachi Met Director Abdul Qayyum Bhutto.
He said that the maximum temperature recorded in the city on Wednesday was 36.6°C, but due to 65pc humidity, the feels-like temperature was very high. The same conditions will prevail today, as very hot and humid weather is expected the entire day until the rain starts with a thunderstorm and gusty winds, he added.
Rejecting the rumours circulating on social media claiming that the weather system that is expected to cause heavy rains in the province has been named, Bhutto said that only tropical cyclones formed in the Arabian Sea are labelled for identification and to help regional countries.
He clarified that land-based weather systems are never named by any of the meteorological departments around the world. “Some people’s use of such terms on social media for the upcoming weather system has not only confused the masses but also created confusion among the national authorities and international meteorologists.”
He also advised the mainstream print and electronic media to avoid misquoting the authorities, and to only publish and air the information that is authentic and issued by the Met Office.
According to Bhutto, the merger of two monsoon systems — one present in south-east Sindh and the other originating from the Bay of Bengal — heavy to very heavy rains are expected in the entire southern province, including Karachi. “Both the weather systems are strengthening.”
He said that widespread thunderstorms with isolated heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Matiari, Tando Mohammad Khan, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad from Thursday to Saturday. “We are expecting 100mm to 130mm of rain in Karachi during this period.”
The Met official warned that if storm water drains are not cleared, chances of flooding are very high, saying that if appropriate measures are not taken by the authorities, it can result in serious difficulties for the people.
Following the forecast of heavy rains, an emergency has been declared at every tertiary-care hospital in the province, while all the medical superintendents, executive directors, district health officers and other officials have been advised to remain highly vigilant.
According to Sindh Health Services Director General Dr Irshad Memon, no leave will be allowed to any medical or paramedical staff member during the emergency. He said the staff should be increased and accordingly posted where needed, while every official must ensure that all the essential medicines are available. Provision of well-equipped ambulance service should be ensured round the clock, he added.