Fourth monsoon spell: PMD issues urban flooding alert for Karachi

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued urban flooding warning for Karachi and Hyderabad in which it predicted a much heavier monsoon spell in Sindh and parts of Balochistan from Thursday (August 6) to Saturday (August 8).

According to a notification, a low lying pressure system, formed in the Bay of Bengal, is expected to enter Sindh on August 6. “Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate Sindh, south Punjab and eastern Balochistan from Thursday (evening/night) to Saturday,” the notification added.

The widespread rain and thundershowers were expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, and other cities of Sindh. The department also warned of flash flooding in the hill torrents of Khuzdar, urging authorities to remain alert during this period.

Last week, the Pakistan Army was called in to help the local administration in managing and dealing with the urban flooding crisis in Karachi.

While addressing a press conference, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal said that Karachi’s stormwater drains have too many encroachments on them.

He said that daily, as much as 20,000 tonnes of solid waste is generated in Karachi. “The widths of most of the nullahs have been narrowed from 400 metres to three to four metres,” the NDMA chairman said.