More heavy rains predicted in parts of country today, tomorrow

KARACHI/CHINIOT/ISLAMABAD/SIALKOT/RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted more torrential rains in parts of Sindh and Balochistan from Saturday to Monday including Karachi.

A heavy downpour can also take place in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Southern Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, said the Met Office.

According to the weather department’s update, the low-lying areas in Sindh face the threat of urban-flooding once more. “Another monsoon rain-bearing system is likely to enter in Sindh on Saturday and under its influence, rain/wind-thundershowers, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls, are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Tharparkar, Nagarparker, Mirpurkhas, Islam Kot, Umar Kot, Sanghar, Sukkur and Larkana from Saturday (evening) to Monday,” the PMD said in its latest advisory.

"Heavy rainfall may further aggravate existing urban flooding/water logging in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Badin on Sunday and Monday. Heavy downpour may generate flash flooding in Sibi, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella and Dera Ghazi Khan during the period."

In Punjab, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Khanpur, DG Khan, Multan, Khanewal and Sahiwal will also receive rainfall during this time period. It added that rain-thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are also expected in Lasbella, Khuzdar, Awaran, Barkhan, Zhob, Musa Khel, Loralai, Kohlu and Sibi during Sunday and Monday.

According to the PMD, the rest of the country will likely remain hot and dry, including Islamabad. A heavy downpour can also take place in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Southern Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, said the Met Office.

Pakistan Meteorological Department Director Sardar Sarfraz earlier said that the previous spell of torrential rains in Karachi was of high intensity and the upcoming spell will not be of the same magnitude. He said that rain can lash parts of the city from Sunday afternoon, adding that it can be a heavy downpour. The Met Office official said that the spell can gain intensity on Monday and lead to urban flooding once again.

While the threat of high level flooding looms large in Chiniot as there is high level flooding on River Chenab in Chiniot. 250,000 cusecs of flood water was passing under River Chenab Bridge. The water had entered in various low lying areas near River Chenab. The district administration has placed relevant departments on high alert. According to Deputy Commissioner Office 245,347 cusecs water is passing from Chiniot and will start decreasing. The flood water has reached near the city and people are shifting to safe places. It will start flowing from the area of District Jhang and flow of water is increasing in Tehsil Bhawana. Tehsil administration is fully alert.

The floodwater has entered the low lying areas Moza Burj Babul Dhamri Babu Rai Kot and Ameer Shah and there is a chance of damaging of crops of rice millet and corn. Related departments have been directed to take steps to deal with flood situation. Police and Pak Army is not only saving people from flood water and shifting them to safe places but also providing food to them. Deputy Commissioner has declared emergency throughout District and in government schools near River. Army troops have reached Chiniot to deal with any emergency. Sailing and swimming have been banned on River Chenab. On the other side, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Riaz has appealed to the people who live near River to shift to safe location.

At least six people have died in the city on Saturday in drowning and electrocution incidents two days after the metropolis witnessed a record spell of rain bringing the overall death toll in the past three days to 33.

Meanwhile, at least 14 people were flushed away in flood at Shahgram and Tirat areas of Madainon Friday, out of which bodies of six were recovered by rescue teams and local people after hectic efforts, a private news channel reported on Saturday. Search for six other persons was still under progress. Meanwhile, ten villages of Sambrial tehsil were inundated after a breach occurred at Nullah Aik near Chohdo Chak-Bhopalwala on Saturday. The breach occurred due to high flood level in the Nullah Aik which has also destroyed crops over hundreds of acres of land. Rescue-1122 has set up a flood emergency camp at Chohdo Chak with repairing of the breach.

Pakistan Army’s engineers on Saturday continued dewatering process at the underpasses in Karachi clearing rainwater from at least one of them, private TV reported quoting Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). According to a press release issued by the ISPR the dewatering process was completed at COD underpass at Shahrah-e-Faisal while the process to drain water from KPT underpass was ongoing.

The dewatering process was also going on in other affected areas the army’s media wing was quoted as saying as the armed forces continue to provide ration cooked food and other basic commodities to the rain-affectees through its mobile teams. The army recovery vehicles were shifting vehicles trapped in rainwater to safe locations and also removing other obstacles from the major thoroughfares to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.

The ISPR said that 32 medical camps and 56 relief camps were also established with the support of the civil administration. Three field medical centres have been established in Qayyumabad, Surjani and Saadi Town where affected people are provided medical facilities, it said.