Three-day rain spell in city likely to start today

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorms in the city from Saturday (today), said Karachi Met Director Abdul Rashid on Friday.

“A second spell of monsoon rains is expected in Karachi from Saturday  as a strong weather system has entered into Sindh from neighbouring India and is likely to cause rain with thunderstorms from July 15 to July 17,” said the official. 

The rainfall expected in Karachi, he added, would not be light rain or drizzle as experienced in the city over the past week. The official said the expected rainfall could cause flooding of roads and accumulation of rainwater at various recurrent points.

Karachi had received the first spell of monsoon rains immediately after Eidul Fitr in June when a strong monsoon rain system led to more than 100 millimeters of rain over three days – from June 28 to June 30 –  and resulted in urban flooding, overflowing of drains and over a dozen deaths. 

As per the PMD’s predictions, said Rashid, there could be isolated heavy showers in Karachi and other cities of lower Sindh, including Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions, which was why municipal authorities had been told to remain vigilant. “We are expecting the rain spell to continue till July 17 and municipal authorities in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions have been asked to take all necessary precautions.” 

Rain emergency huddle

As per the procedure devised by the municipal administration to tackle rain emergency, services of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation employees currently awaiting postings to departments would be utilised, the city mayor announced on Friday.

Addressing media personnel following a meeting, Waseem Akhtar observed that besides seeking cooperation of district administrations, the K-Electric and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board have also been taken on board to deal with monsoon emergency in the city.

Akhtar said the municipal authority was doing its best to protect the citizens from any inconvenience during monsoon showers expected in the city in the coming days.

Clearing of storm water drains, especially of points from where they were choked, was underway, he said. Underpasses were also being cleared, the mayor claimed.

“Work on the Nazimabad underpass had been completed, while work in the Liaquatbad and Gharibabad underpass would also soon commence,” he observed.

He criticised people for dumping garbage in city’s drains, adding, that it was the main cause of their choking since there was already too much of sewage flowing through them.

He urged the metropolis’ power and water utilities to play their due roles and take immediate measures so as not to cause any inconvenience to the people during rains. Akhtar also called on the traffic police to be on roads during rains to control the traffic flow.

The mayor added that patchwork being carried out on various roads of the city, had for the time being brought to a halt but would resume after the rains. Earlier, while chairing a meeting of the KMC and district administration in his office, the Karachi Mayor decided to make finance committee chairman, Nadeem Hidayat Hashmi, the focal person on rain related operations of the KMC. He was directed to coordinate with the district administration and other utility service providers.