The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday issued another weather forecast for Monday (today), according to which a large number of areas of Karachi would receive heavy rains with thunderstorm.
However, it is pertinent to mention here that like several previous advisories of the PMD, the forecast issued on Saturday for heavy rains on Sunday was also proved false. PMD-Sindh had issued an advisory on Saturday, according to which several parts of Karachi were supposed to experience rainfall on Sunday, but the weather situation in the city was not as the PMD had predicted.
When approached, a duty officer at the weather forecasting station at the Jinnah International Airport, Arshad, said that on Sunday, the University Road witnessed 2.4 millimetres of rain, Landhi 2 millimetres and Airport 4.8 millimetres, whereas Saddar Town received not a single drop. Quoting the official advisory, Arshad also said that there would be heavy rains in several parts of Karachi on Monday with thunderstorm.
Since the past few months, the issuance of false advisories by the PMD-Sindh has become quite common and no authorities of the Sindh government have so far taken notice of these fake advisories routinely issued by the PMD. When contacted, Chief Meteorologist Naeem Shah admitted that some of the advisories issued by his office were proven false, but he held satellite images responsible for the fake advisories.
“We receive satellite images; and on the basis of those images, we issue weather updates and forecast. So, if such forecasts are proven wrong, then satellite images are responsible,” Shah added.
GHULAM ABBAS ADDS: Torrential rainfall with strong winds plunged many parts of the city into darkness late Saturday night as over 320 feeders of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) tripped. Power supply to many parts of the metropolitan was suspended due to, what the sources in the KESC claimed, feeders tripping and several cable faults.
Over 320 feeders and dozens of pole-mounted transformers tripped, plunging into darkness the areas of Korangi, Orangi, Malir, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Clifton, Defence, Federal B Area, Saddar, Lyari, Keamari, Mehmoodabad, Shah Faisal, Sultanabad, North Karachi, Gulbahar, Pak Colony, Khokhrapar, New Karachi, Buffer Zone, Liaquatabad and others.
