NDMA widens scope of operations as it seeks to unclog Karachi's nullahs

KARACHI: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday widened its scope of operations to other parts of the city as it seeks to unclog the city's nullahs and drains before the fourth spell of rain wreaks havoc in the city, a day after it focused on cleaning the Gujjar Nullah in the city.

The local government, in coordination with the NDMA, has also started cleaning the city’s nullahs.

According to officials, the waste taken out from the nullahs or stormwater drains is being shifted to a landfill site. The waste is being taken out with the help of heavy machinery.

Met Office warns of urban flooding in  Karachi

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday predicted heavy rains in southern Sindh, especially in Karachi from Thursday till Saturday that could result in urban flooding, saying around 100 to 130 millimetres of rain was expected in the city and asked the municipal authorities and power utility to take precautionary measures to prevent loss of lives and property in Karachi and other cities of Sindh.

“A monsoon low pressure from Bay of Bengal is likely to approach Sindh on the evening or night of Thursday, August 6, 2020. Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in Sindh, South Punjab and Eastern Balochistan from Thursday (evening/night) to Saturday that may cause widespread rains,” said Abdul Qayyum Bhutto, Director Met Karachi while talking to The News on Monday.

Sharing the three-day rain forecast,  the director Met Karachi said widespread rain-wind-thundershowers, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls, are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad from Thursday (evening/night) to Saturday, from August 6 to 8, 2020.

“We are expecting 100 to 130 mm of rain in Karachi in these three days while an updated advisory for Sunday and Monday, August 9-10, 2020 would be issued tomorrow or day after tomorrow. If authorities take the advisory seriously, nothing would happen but if stormwater drains are not cleaned and they remained choked, chances of urban flooding are very high,” Bhutto warned. It could result in serious difficulties for people if appropriate measures are not taken by the authorities to prevent the accumulation of water on the roads.