Rain emergency declared across Sindh

KARACHI: A rain emergency has been declared at all the public health facilities in Sindh following forecast of heavy rains in the southern Sindh, especially in Karachi where weather pundits believe that ‘heavy to very heavy rains’ of 100 to 130 mm from Thursday to Sunday could generate urban flooding.

“With the merger of two monsoon systems, one present in the southeast Sindh and other originating from Bay of Bengal, we are expecting heavy to very heavy rains in entire southern Sindh including Karachi. Both the weather systems are strengthening and we expect onset of rains,” said Abdul Qayyum Bhutto, Director Met Karachi while talking to The News on Tuesday.

Giving details of the three-day rain forecast, the Director Met Karachi said widespread rain, wind thundershowers, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls, are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad from Thursday (evening/night) to Saturday, from June 6 to 8, 2020.

“We are expecting 100 to 130mm of rain in Karachi in these three days while an updated advisory for Sunday and Monday, August 9-10, 2020 would be issued on Wednesday. If authorities take the advisory seriously, nothing would happen but if storm water drains are not cleaned and they remained choked, chances of urban flooding are high,” Bhutto warned. It could result in serious difficulties for people if appropriate measures are not taken by the authorities to prevent accumulation of water.

Following the forecast of heavy rains, emergency has been declared at all the tertiary-care hospitals in Sindh by the Director General Health Sindh Dr. Irshad Memon, and all the medical superintendents, executive directors, District Health Officers and other officials have been advised to remain highly vigilant.

“Twenty-four hour emergency has been declared in all hospitals and health facilities and leaves of the staff have been cancelled. They should ensure availability of all essential medicines and well-equipped ambulance service,” the DG Health Sindh said.