Heavy rainfall, urban flooding possible

KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has directed the relevant officials to deploy de-watering machinery and generators in low-lying areas of Karachi so that accumulated rainwater is speedily drained during the upcoming monsoon rain spell expected later this week.

The chief minister gave the directions while chairing a meeting here at the CM House on Tuesday evening after his visit to Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas earlier in the day. The meeting was attended by Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Sindh Education and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Sindh Law Adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Karachi Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner of the city, and other officials.

Murad Ali Shah asked the relevant agencies and departments of the government to take all the necessary arrangements to tackle any emergency situation in the city in view of the heavy rain forecast.

He also asked them to continue with the emergency de-silting of the storm water drains. The Eidul Azha-related sanitation work should also be completed in the city at the earliest. He said that all the necessary arrangements be ensured for speedy drainage of accumulated rainwater from the low-lying areas of the city.

The CM told the officials to utilise government resources to save the residents of Karachi from hardship and also to resolve their complaints during the rains.