Torrential rains hit rural Sindh, other parts of country

ISLAMABAD: Heavy rains lashed Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Thatta on Monday, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting power supply. Heavy rains also lashed Islamabad, Pakpattan, Sialkot, Chichawatni, Jhelum and Nakyal, Azad Kashmir earlier Monday.

The River Chenab was in high flood at the Tremu Headworks as over two and a half lakh cusecs water was passing through the Jhang District area. Over 60 villages were inundated and the crops on a large area were washed away. The River Indus was also flowing in medium to high flood at Chashma and Jinnah barrages. The authorities had issued flood warning for the people of adjoining areas and people were being evacuated to the safer places.

The Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) on Monday issued a significant flood warning for the northern parts of the country, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in catchment areas of the River Kabul along with hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan Division.

"According to latest hydro-meteorological situation, monsoon has become active over Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir producing widespread thunderstorm/rains," an alert issued by the PMD's Flood Forecasting Division said. The advisory was shared on Twitter by Azhar Mashwani, the focal person on digital media to the Punjab chief minister.

The alert warned that the existing weather system is likely to persist over those areas during the next 48 hours "with [a] high probability of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of River Kabul and its tributaries along with hill torrents of DG Khan Division which may cause medium to high flood situation".

Around 872 people were evacuated last week owing to a threat of flood, with several points along the Chenab and Jhelum swelling. At least 60 rescue teams and 326 rescuers saved villagers and their belongings, and still many areas were under the threat of flood.

The Meteorological Department early on Monday forecast rain for Karachi later in the day, raising concerns among citizens after last week's downpour which left roads across the city flooded and triggered power outages across the metropolis. The MET office said that the metropolis — which did not receive any rain the preceding night despite earlier predictions — may receive moderate to heavy showers by Monday evening or night in some areas.

The MET Department said that monsoon winds will cause rain in eastern and central Sindh after which they are expected to move towards southern Punjab and the north. These winds are expected to cause heavy rains in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Imtiaz Hussain adds from Sukkur: Another heavy spell of torrential rain pounded Hyderabad, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro, Kotri, Tando Muhammad Khan, Nawabshah and other cities on Monday, which according to the Met office is likely to continue today (Tuesday) as well.

The heavy downpour lashed various parts of the city and water entered the houses and flooded entire neighbourhoods of Hyderabad, including Qasimabad, Latifabad, Hussainabad, Haider Chowk and Hirabad. The city was already suffering from flooded houses, electricity cuts and stagnant sewage water from the rains of the last week. The Latifabad area including 02, 08, 10, 11, 12, Liaquat Colony and Noorani Basti were among the most-affected localities. People from some areas, including Mehar Ali, were forced to abandon their houses due to urban flooding.

The breaches caused in the Sim Nullah five days ago could not be plugged, threatening a possible flood in the Kaloi city. Tando Muhammad Khan, Malakatyar, Shaikh Bharkio, Buleri Kareem Shah, Tando Ghulam Haider, Raju Nazamani, Lakhat and other parts were flooded while the local administration failed to drain out the water.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah held telephonic meetings with the deputy commissioners of Thar, Mirpurkhas, Umarkot, Badin, and Sajawal and discussed post-rain situation in their respective areas and directed to expedite rehabilitation works. He directed them to ensure the provision of medicines, relief goods and clean water to the rain victims. He also directed them to conduct a survey of the damages caused to life and properties. The Sindh CM particularly expressed concern over the situation in Mirpurkhas.