KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has declared an emergency today (Saturday) in all districts of the province located along the coastal belt as cyclone Tauktae intensifies.
According to a statement, the decision was taken as a precaution so that any untoward situation can be avoided. Chairing a meeting at the CM House, Murad Ali Shah has directed the authorities to establish a control room for monitoring the situation,
“A control room should be established at the chief secretary’s office to keep close coordination with all the districts, in respect of their requirements and giving them necessary instruction on behalf of the government,” he said.
The PMD official briefed the chief minister that such weather systems usually caused three types of impacts, including torrential rains, thunderstorms, high intensity winds and storm surges.
The chief minister was told that severe cyclone storms emerge when a pressure of 930 to 955 hPa/mb merges with a speed of 64-89 knots and they cause significant structural damage, causing even caravans to blow away.
He was apprised that there are two possible routes that the cyclone can travel. If the cyclone crosses Indian Gujarat, then its outer peripheral effect would be on Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Sanghar districts.
“If it crosses the west of Karachi then its outer peripheral effect would be on Karachi, Hub, Lasbela, Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts,” the officials tell Chief Minister. In that scenario, Karachi may receive 60 to 80 mm rainfall, Hyderabad 30 to 50 mm, and Jamshoro 150-170 mm.
Keeping in view the situation, CM Murad directed the administration in Karachi to start clearing all the choking points of nullas. He directed authorities to start removing all billboards and neo-signs.
The chief minister asked builders to take precautionary measures for the security of their under-construction buildings, directing the PDSMA to provide dewatering machines and generators to the district administration in the city and in the other districts where required.
He also directed the Minister of Local Government Nasir Shah and Minister Rehabilitation, Faraz Dero, to stay in Karachi and personally monitor the arrangements.
