Possible floods in Sukkur, Larkana: Met dept

Hyderabad receives highest downpour of the season, power supply cut off.

SUKKUR/HYDERABAD/KARACHI:


More monsoon rains have been predicted for Sindh through the weekend and on Monday, with the possibility of flooding in Sukkur and Larkana, according to the Met office.


The Airport Observatory in Karachi recorded 4mm of rain on Saturday.

Hyderabad received its highest downpour of the monsoon season, recorded at 11mm at 6 pm. The total rainfall on Saturday could not be updated as there was no electricity in the district till the filing of this report.

An official of the Met office added that the system is expected to stay longer than previously anticipated and Karachi and Hyderabad could expect thundershowers on Monday.

The low pressure area that has been triggering the monsoon rains has now moved over to west Rajasthan in India and adjoining areas in eastern Sindh. It is expected to move west- northwestward over the next 24 hours, entering parts of upper Sindh and southern Punjab.


Situation in Hyderabad

Rainfall in Hyderabad, which started around 2 pm on Saturday, continued nonstop till the filing of this report.

Most of the district was without electricity as 30 out of the 80 feeders were shut. According to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company spokesperson, Sadiq Kubar, the feeders will be turned back on once the rain stops. There are seven grid stations in the Hyderabad district.

A 35-year-old man, Jannat Shoro, was killed and five others were injured when roofs of houses collapsed in villages of Husri area due to the downpour. An electric wire fell in Ilyasabad, electrocuting a woman, Sanober, and her brother-in-law, Abid, and injuring another.

Reports from rural Sindh

The senior observer of the Badin Met office, Shamsuddin, told The Express Tribune that the district has received 86.4 mm rain since Wednesday and heavy rainfall is also expected after Monday. “The situation will be clear by Sunday (today) evening. Our system predicts that the district may receive more downpours,” he said.

Sukkur and its surrounding areas did not receive rain but the irrigation department has closed six of the seven off-taking canals of the Sukkur Barrage. Only Nara Canal, which supplies 4,000 cusecs of water, is still open. Two canals of Guddu Barrage have also been closed, with the exception of the Ghotki feeder which supplies 4,000 cusecs of water. Department officials said that these steps have been taken in precaution of heavy rainfall so that breaches do not occur.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2012.
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