KARACHI: Coastal areas of Sindh including the provincial capital Karachi are expected to receive heavy rainfall on Thursday evening (today) as authorities remain on high alert during a cyclonic storm.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department warned of damage to vulnerable structures during a cyclonic storm, which might hit the country on October 1. The PMD said a low-pressure system, currently lying over south Gujarat, India, is likely to move northwestward.
“The system is likely to emerge in the Northeast Arabian Sea by tomorrow, 30th Sep (Thursday morning) and strengthen into a depression due to favourable environmental conditions with the possibility of further intensification into a cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours (Oct 1, Friday),” it said in a statement.
The meteorological department advised fishermen to not venture into the sea from September 30 to October 3, as it warned that the conditions in the sea might be very rough.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Sindh on Wednesday including Thatta, Badin, and Keti Bandar, whereas Karachi can receive heavy rainfall from Thursday evening which could lead to urban flooding, said the Met Office.
According to an alert issued by the PMD, Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, and Dadu districts of the province could witness a heavy spell of rain during the next three days starting from September 30 to October 2.
There are chances of urban flooding in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad. The PMD said that the heavy rainfall in mainly coastal areas of the Sindh province would be caused by low air pressure. It said the low air pressure could turn into a depression over the Arabian Sea and a tropical cyclone.
In view of the torrential rains forecast, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) assigned emergency duties of three officers including senior building inspector and building inspector from October 1 to 15 in three shifts.
Shift A will start from 5:00 pm to 12:00 midnight while Shift B will commence from 12:00 midnight to 9:00 am, whereas, Shift C officials will perform the duties on Saturday and other holidays. The emergency centre will work under the supervision of the SBCA director during the said period.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also issued an alert for Jinnah International Airport after rain forecast in Karachi due to cyclone storm ‘Gulab’. The CAA has directed for taking steps to address an emergency situation and to tackle the strong winds during the tropical cyclone.
“All concerned authorities are advised to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures during the forecast period,” reads the circular issued by the aviation authority.
The CAA has issued instructions for adding surplus weight with fixed-wing small aircraft and rotary wing (helicopters), Airport Manager Imran Khan said. The electrical department has been ordered to repair broken wires ahead of the bad weather and to keep the beacon lights at the airport’s control tower and other high-rise buildings in good shape.
