Rain finds city ready and waiting

The much expected westerly system entering the country through Balochistan dumped rain and some hail in the port city on Friday.
Moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm and hail occurred across the Karachi division with highest precipitation of 45mm recorded in the Quaidabad area.

A rare incident of hails occurred in the Gadap Town while the people of Landhi enjoyed a beautiful view of a rainbow in the afternoon.

Due to the rainfall, several motorcyclists slipped and got injured, and there are reports of traffic congestion due to waterlogging on many roads.

According to Karachi Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz gusts of cold winds were expected to follow the rain system which was now heading northwards. Safraz said city dwellers are likely to have a bright and sunny Saturday.

According to the data released by the Pakistan Meteorological Department highest precipitation was recorded at 45.5mm in Quaidabad followed by 40.5mm in DHA Phase II, 39.9mm in Korangi; 31mm in Keamari; 30.4mm in Sarjani Town, 12.5mm in Nazimabad and Mehmoodabad; 12.3mm at Old Airport, 10mm around University Road, 8.8mm at Jinnah Terminal and Gadap Town, 6mm in Malir, 5mm around Dawood Chowrangi.

CM checks rain preps

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah conducted surprise visits to inspect dewatering machinery in low-lying areas and to monitor officer attendance at the New Secretariat. He visited District South, observing areas like underpasses and roads, noting missing water board machinery.

At the New Secretariat, he noted secretary absences and directed the Chief Secretary to ensure punctuality. Shah's actions aimed to enhance infrastructure readiness and promote discipline among government officials.

Police on high-alert

The Sindh police chief has stressed the deployment of police, including traffic police personnel, on the roads during the heavy rain that started lashing the province, including Karachi, on Friday afternoon.

IG Sindh police Riffat Mukhtar Raja also directed that the police stations and offices must also be on high alert. He issued these directives while presiding over a crucial meeting that was called to review rain emergencies, peace, and security at the Central Police Office.

Rush for samosas, pakoras

Rain sent the foodies rushing to food streets to garb piping samosas, pakodas and jalebis.

People were seen enjoying fried treats with friends and family at the roadside tables on Burns Road, Hussainabad and other popular foodie hangouts in the city.

Read Samosas, pakoras fly off shelves as Karachi rain sparks food frenzy

At places, dozens of citizens were seen lined up outside the shops to buy hot samosas, pakoras, bun kebabs and jalebis. The shopkeepers said that the crowd increases and the sales also increase many times due to the rain.

Urban flooding in DHA

Due to a heavy rainfall, urban flooding situation arose at the Khayabane Shahbaz in DHA.

A video of rain water accumulated on the roads adjacent to Khayabane Shahbaz went viral on social media.

However, when contacted, the DHA spokesperson told The Express Tribune that the urban flooding was not in the entire Khayabane Shahbaz area, rather rainwater collected only at the Popular Avenue crossing on Khayabane Shahbaz, which has been cleared to a large extent.

Temperatures dip

The districts of Hyderabad, Larkana, and Nawabshah divisions witnessed light to moderate rainfall on Friday, which led to a decrease in temperatures as low as 13 degrees Celsius in some areas.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported the highest precipitation of 13 millimetres in Jacobabad district within Larkana division by 5:30 pm.

While other districts received lesser amounts of rain, showers persisted throughout the night in most parts of the province, albeit not heavily.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) stated that it had suspended power supply to only 25 feeders of 11KV across its entire region, covering 12 districts, for safety reasons, with five of those feeders located in Hyderabad district. Complaints of power outages were also widespread in areas served by Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO).

Fortunately, there were no reports of urban flooding in any city. Rainfall was recorded in Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Naushehro Feroze, Dadu, Jamshoro, Benazirabad, Matiari, and other districts. Hyderabad

Commissioner, Khalid Hyder Shah, has established a control room to monitor rain-related issues and address complaints. The control cell will remain operational till March 3, with similar measures taken by other divisional commissioners.

The weather alert issued by PMD forecasted thunderstorms accompanied by hailstorms that could potentially damage electric poles, vehicles, and solar panels. The people were advised against travelling on days with rain forecasts, and district administrations were urged to develop contingency plans to manage any urban flooding situations.