Sindh declares state of emergency ahead of heavy rain

As a rain-causing system formed in the North Bay of Bengal intensified on Wednesday and started moving westwards, national and international meteorological experts forecast heavy rain in lower Sindh, including Karachi, from Friday night to Monday noon.

They warned that even two to three days of intermittent rains may be enough to cause urban flooding-like situation in Karachi, Thatta and Hyderabad divisions.

“A low-pressure area formed in the North Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression, which means that its intensity has increased,” said Sardar Sarfraz, chief meteorological officer of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), on Wednesday.

“This system has started moving westwards and is crossing the Indian coast of Odisha at the moment. Under its influence, heavy rains are expected in lower Sindh from Friday evening/night and in Karachi from early Saturday morning.”

Authorities in Sindh have imposed a rain emergency at all the relevant departments, including the health and local bodies departments, directing all the officials and employees to remain present on their duties during the Eidul Azha and Independence Day holidays.

The PMD also issued a weather advisory: “...a well-marked monsoon low pressure has formed over North Bay of Bengal and its adjoining areas, and is likely to move westwards and may reach over the Indian Gujrat region around the morning of August 9.

“Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rains and wind thunderstorms are expected in Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Karachi and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions from Friday (evening/night) to Monday (morning).”

The advisory also said that scattered rains and wind thunderstorms are also expected in Zhob, Kalat, Sibi, Nasirabad, Makran, Sukkur and Larkana divisions. Isolated moderate to heavy rainfall is also expected in lower Sindh (Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Karachi and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions), and Kalat, Zhob, Nasirabad and Sibi divisions from Friday night to Sunday.

The PMD warned that heavy rainfall may cause urban flooding in Karachi, Thatta and Hyderabad divisions between Friday night and Sunday, as well as flash flooding in Kalat, Sibi, Zhob and Nasirabad divisions.

International weather organisations also predicted “heavier rains” in Southeast Pakistan, including Karachi, and the lead international forecaster for AccuWeather, Jason Nicholls, tweeted that the deep depression formed in the Bay of Bengal had started pushing westwards and would cause heavy rains in Southeast Pakistan on the weekend.