KARACHI:
The Pakistan Meteorological Department had long warned residents of the tropical cyclone Gulab and the sheer intensity of weather conditions that are now about to unfold. In the next few days, the cyclone is expected to regain intensity as torrential rains and thunderstorms have been forecasted. Wind speed may reach as high as 50 km/hr and heavy showers may lead to urban flooding.
It is no secret that Karachi’s infrastructure is in dire straits — it crumbles when there is mild rainfall and will obviously collapse completely if the met department’s prediction turns out to be true. Under these circumstances, keeping offices open is tantamount to putting precious lives at stake. With inundated roads, commuting would become rather impossible especially for those who rely on public transport. In the recent past, several instances have been reported in which billboards have fallen due to high wind speeds, injuring commuters to the extent that they sustained serious injuries, causing death or permanent disability in some cases. The loss of lives emanating from electrocutions on rainy days is also on the record. The federal and provincial governments must order all educational institutions along with all public and private offices to remain closed in case of increased intensity in weather conditions. Schools, colleges, universities, and offices around the world remain closed amid adverse weather conditions, therefore, the government will not be setting a new precedent.
Considering the met department’s report that the cyclone is likely to regain intensity, the government must issue strict orders for workplaces and educational institutions to remain closed in order to prevent further causalities because of disastrous weather conditions.
Faruk Ahmad
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2021.
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