Heavy rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi, other parts of Sindh today: Met Office

  Heavy rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi, other parts of Sindh today: Met Office Karachi and other parts of Sindh are likely to receiv...

 

Heavy rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi, other parts of Sindh today: Met Office

Karachi and other parts of Sindh are likely to receive heavy rain and thunderstorms on Monday (today), according to the latest weather advisory issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

The forecast comes a day after seven people were killed in Karachi as the second spell of torrential rain under the current monsoon season wreaked havoc in the city.

In today’s update, the PMD said that the depression hovering over the northeast Arabian Sea, which moved further westward during the last 12 hours, had “weakened this morning into a well-marked low pressure area”.

It said the the low pressure area “now lies over [the] central parts of north Arabian Sea, southwest of Karachi with its trough extending to lower Sindh and coastal Balochistan”.

Also, monsoon currents are penetrating in central and upper Sindh from Rajasthan, India side, the forecast said.

Under these conditions, the Met department predicted “rain-thunderstorms with few heavy falls” in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Dadu, Jamshoro, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Naushero Feroze, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Ghotki, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Khairpur and Kashmore districts of Sindh today.

Moreover, the weather system was likely to cause “rain-thunderstorms with a few heavy/very heavy falls” in Balochistan’s Lasbella, Uthal, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Jiwani, Turbat, Awaran and Kech areas today and tomorrow (Tuesday).

The department warned that heavy showers might lead to waterlogging and urban flooding in the low-lying areas of Lasbela, Uthal, Sonmiani, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Jiwani, Turbat, Awaran and Kech.

In light of the forecast, the Met Office said sea conditions would remain “very rough” during the next 12 hours and advised fishermen in Sindh and Balochistan “not to venture in open sea till today evening”.

It also asked the relevant authorities to remain alert and vigilant.

Over 170 people have died in the current monsoon spell, which started earlier this month.

In an alert issued earlier this week, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) specifically mentioned the management of Hub Dam — the third largest dam in Pakistan situated at least 50km away from Karachi — and advised the authorities to ensure “safe discharge of water” and to accommodate additional inflow of water from the catchment areas — Dadu district, Khirthar National Park, Saruna, Dureji and the Shah Noorani area in Balochistan — likely to receive torrential rainfall.

It advised departments to remain vigilant to ensure timely evacuation of “at-risk population downstream in case of any emergency”.