Karachi weather update: PMD forecasts more rain in next 24 hours

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Thursday said the city will witness cloudy skies, drizzle and light rain in the next 24 hours after experiencing light rain early in the morning today.

According to the Met Office, the city's minimum temperature on Thursday was recorded at 28°C, while the maximum temperature is likely to reach 30°C to 32°C.

As per PMD's forecast, the winds in the city are blowing at a speed of 13 kilometres per hour with 85% humidity and there's a possibility of light rain or drizzle in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and Badin.

The Met Office also expects rainfall to hit various parts of the country including Islamabad, with the possibility of downpour in some places.

According to Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz, monsoon winds are set to enter lower Sindh from August 16, and under the influence of these winds, there is a possibility of rain in Karachi during August 17 to 19.

He said that "mostly moderate rain with thundershowers" is expected in Karachi and "there may be heavy rain at some areas".

NDMA issues 'urban flooding' alert

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of urban flooding, ahead of heavy rains which are expected to hit various parts of the country in coming days.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) of the NDMA have indicated isolated heavy rains to hit catchment areas of Neelum and Jhelum rivers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Additionally, the NEOC also expect more rainfall in districts Barkhan, Bolan, Harnai, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Musakhel, Nasirabad, Sherani, Sibi, and Zhob of Balochistan and the Mirpur Khas Division, Dadu, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Larkana, Mithi, Matiari, Sanghar, and Sukkur of Sindh.

The development comes after the recent rains resulted in as many as 178 fatalities, including 92 children, across the country since July with the collapse of homes being the biggest cause of death.

The downpour, as per the NDMA, might cause urban flooding in various cities and flash flooding and landslides in hilly areas with an expected increase in the flow of water in the streams and nullahs.

The government body has called on the authorities and the masses to take necessary precautions to mitigate the potential impacts of flooding and landslides. It has also directed all relevant departments to alert emergency response teams and mobilised resources to ensure a swift response to any arising situations.

Furthermore, tourists have been advised to avoid travelling to these areas during this time period.