Public holiday in Karachi, Hyderabad divisions due to rains

KARACHI:

The government of Sindh has decided to declare Monday as a public holiday for Karachi and Hyderabad divisions following persistent heavy rainfall in various parts of the province since Saturday night.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted that Karachi may receive up to 200 millimetres of rain accompanied by stormy winds on Sunday. Citizens have been instructed not to leave their homes unnecessarily.

Met department officials have said that the current system of rains may remain across Sindh, including Karachi, until Tuesday.

He said that a notification in this regard is being issued. “It’s been raining nonstop since early morning & severity of rainfall has increased in the last hour or so,” Murtaza said in another tweet.

“Due to heavy rainfall which is expected to continue even tomorrow, #SindhGovt has decided to declare Monday, the 25th of July as a public holiday in Karachi & Hyderabad Divisions,” Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui wrote on his official Twitter handle.

He also requested people to avoid unnecessary movement. “The entire administration is still on ground & relief work will start as soon as the rain stops,” he added.

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon also requested the private sector to keep their offices closed.

The downpour continues in various areas of the city, including Scheme 33, Federal B Area, North Karachi, New Karachi, Nazimabad, Muhammad Ali Society, Bahadurabad, PIB Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, PECHS and adjacent regions.

Due to the continuous rain in the metropolis, low-lying areas have been flooded causing citizens to face severe problems with ambulances unable to reach various locations.

All the main roads of the city and regional roads continue to offer a view of ponds. Liaquatabad Supermarket and Nagan Chowrangi areas were completely inundated with water. Several feets of water accumulated in the streets from Nazimabad number 1 to 5. The third spell of monsoon in Karachi has badly affected the lives of the people. Water was visible on the sides of the Gujjar Nullah. Several feet of water also accumulated in the streets of Nazimabad. Water also accumulated at Paposh Nagar, around Abbasi Hospital and at Khalifa Chowk.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2022.