Heavy rains likely from Sunday may cause urban flooding in Karachi: Met Office

Weather authorities in Pakistan have warned of moderate to heavy rains in Karachi and other cities of lower Sindh from Saturday night and Sunday morning under the influence of a strong monsoonal weather system, saying some heavy spells could cause an “urban flooding-like situation” in Karachi and other cities of lower Sindh.

“A strong monsoon system from the Bay of Bengal is heading toward lower Sindh and it may get some support from the Arabian Sea while entering lower Sindh on Saturday, July 2, 2022. This system may cause moderate to heavy rains in Tharparkar, Tharparker, Umerkot, Sanghar, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Tando M. Khan, Tando Allayar, Karachi, Dadu and Jamshoro districts during 2-5 July,” Sindh’s Chief Meteorological Officer (CMO) Sardar Sarfraz told The News on Thursday.

He said that under the influence of this weather system, scattered rain-windstorm/thunder showers with isolated heavy falls were also expected in Nawabshah, NosheroFeroz, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Ghotki, Kashmore districts.

As far as Karachi is concerned, Sarfraz said Karachi might receive showers from Sunday, July 3, and would continue till Tuesday evening. He added that during this period, some heavy falls might be expected, which could cause an urban flooding-like situation in the city.

He said they were expecting another monsoon system to cause rains in Karachi from July 7 or 8, but a detailed forecast in this regard would be issued later. To a query, he said they were expecting more than normal rainfall during the first 45 days of the monsoon season in Sindh from July 1 to August 15.

Keeping in view the forecast for heavy rains, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has directed all the DDMAs and other officials to ensure the availability of dewatering machines and staff during rainfall and improve coordination with emergency services and also with various line departments.

It has also directed authorities in Sindh to establish a helpline cell number to address the needs of affected people on a priority basis and to ensure the provision of water and necessary emergency medicines to the public during emergency.

The authority has also ordered stockpiling necessary emergency relief/medicines, especially in affected areas, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply through intimate coordination with line departments, and providing standby generators for hospitals.

Emergency services and ambulances with trained paramedics should be available round the clock, the PDMA has said, adding that emergency services and fire brigades should remain alert for possible fire incidents and to ensure preventive measures against fires due to electrification, where possible.

It has also advised the DDMAs to coordinate with the relevant departments (NHA, NH&MP and FWO) for issuing necessary alerts to travelers to take precautions and avoid exposure to rainfall.