Rain emergency declared in Karachi

KARACHI: Following the Meteorological Department’s prediction of heavy rain in Karachi on Thursday and Friday, the authorities have declared a rain emergency across the city.

The weather monitory body has predicted heavy showers with gusty winds in Karachi and other parts of the country, spurring the city authorities to precautionary action.

Following the announcement of the rain emergency, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has prepared water-drainage machines, generators and cranes and instructed its field staff to remain on a 24-hour alert.

Despite an advanced warning by the Met Office and the Supreme Court’s orders to clear stormwater drains in the city, several drains remain clogged with garbage, posing a threat to settlements located in their vicinity.

The 28-kilometre long Gujjar Nullah, along with stormwater drains in Khamosh Colony and Teen Talwar Clifton have still not been cleared and restored to their original width.

For Thursday, the Met Office has forecast rain-thundershower with gusty winds at scattered places in Zhob, Kalat, D.I. Khan, Mirpur Khas, Lahore, Gujranwala divisions, Kashmir and isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, D.G. Khan, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Karachi, Larkana, Hyderabad, Makran divisions, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan.

For Friday, rain-thundershower with gusty winds is expected at scattered places in Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, Karachi, Kalat, Zhob, Bahawalpur divisions and Kashmir, and at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu, Peshawar, D.I. Khan, D.G. Khan, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Quetta divisions, FATA, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan.