Holidays cut short ahead of looming disaster

KARACHI: Holidays have been cut short for municipal workers as towns along the coast of Sindh prepare for the looming cyclone, expected to hit today.

The intermediate exams scheduled for Friday have also been postponed.

The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company has called off the holidays of its staff at grid stations in Badin, Thatta, Gharo, Mirpur, Sakro and Pir Phatto.

The Water and Sanitation Agency in Hyderabad has also called back its staff on leave while the holidays of local government officials and fire brigades have also been cancelled.

The employees of the Hyderabad Development Authority have been asked to remain on duty. Extra diesel has also been stocked.

Hospitals have also been urged to stock medicines. Telecommunication and cellular phone companies have also sent their teams to the coastline to repair radio base stations and installations.

Emergency centres at the DCO offices in Thatta, Badin and Hyderabad are in constant touch with the Meteorological Department and the provincial disaster management authority.

The Disaster Management Authority’s Sauleh Farooqui said that they have successfully transferred people from the coastal areas but they have put international agencies, such as Unicef and the World Food Programme, on alert so they can ask for their help whenever the need arises.

The district administration, police and Pakistan Rangers have completed all arrangements to deal with any emergency.

Cyclone loses intensity

Cyclone Warning Centre Karachi Director Sarfaraz Ahmad said that the rains are initially expected to start on Friday, June 4, will now start from Sunday, June 6.

PPI reported that Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has cancelled the leave of Shah Faisal Town staff and has put them on high alert to manage the heavy rains expected to hit the city.

Shah Faisal Town Administrator Kamal Mustafa informed his staff about a contingency plan.

A Town Control Room has been activated and complaints can be lodged at phone number: 021-99248648.

The cleaning of the city’s big Chakora drain was also started while the remaining ones have been cleaned, he added. MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan directed the City District Government Karachi to make sure than Golden Town drain in Shah Faisal Town is also clean.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2010.