As Karachi lost its rain clouds to eastern parts of the province, there was heavy rainfall in Hyderabad (above), Tharparkar, Thatta and Nawabshah. PHOTO: ONLINE
Just as the authorities were swinging into action to clean storm water drains and making contingencies, the met office announced that the monsoons are no longer heading to Karachi.
“There is no heavy rain in Karachi this week,” confirmed Pakistan Meteorological Department’s focal person Abdul Rasheed. There is no rain in the Kirther Range in the coming days, he added.
Read: Met office predicts more rains, floods across Pakistan
Rasheed explained that the system, which was forecasted to bring heavy rainfall to the city, has moved towards upper and eastern parts of Sindh. There will be heavy rainfall in Sukkur, Khairpur, Nawabshah and other adjacent areas.
Heavens open above Hyd
Meanwhile, the season’s first cloudburst brought a pleasant change in weather in districts of southern and central Sindh. Up to 67mm rain was recorded between Sunday night and Monday morning in Tharparkar, 56mm in Thatta, 44mm in Hyderabad, 26mm in Dadu, 25mm in Nawabshah and 13mm in Badin.
Read: Raining cats and dogs: Dozens injured in upper Sindh as heavens open
By Monday evening, the meteorological department recorded an additional 29mm rain in Thatta, 26mm in Tharparkar and Badin, 23mm in Mirpurkhas and Dadu and 20mm in Nawabshah.
The downpour also left many urban and semi-urban areas swamped in a mix of muddy water and sewage. “The drainage system in Hyderabad [district] lacks capacity owing to which there may be delays in draining out the rainwater,” said Hyderabad division commissioner Syed Asif Hyder Shah.
High flood in Sukkur Barrage
High to very high floods carrying more than 600,000 cusecs of water is expected to pass through Guddu Barrage within the next 36 hours, after which water will start receding. In the first week of August, another flood carrying 650,000 cusecs to 700,000 cusecs of water is likely to pass through Guddu.
Torrential rains in the upper catchment areas of River Indus and the hill torrents gushing down Koh-e-Suleman near Dera Ghazi Khan have changed the situation completely and high to very high flood is roaring towards Sindh, said Sukkur Barrage control room in-charge Abdul Aziz Soomro. According to irrigation experts, Sindh will receive not more than 700,000 cusecs of water and the protective embankments are strong enough to withstand its pressure.
On Monday, irrigation minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro visited Sukkur Barrage. The high flood carrying more than 650,000 cusecs of water will pass into the ocean without causing any damages, said Khuhro.
CM at Kotri Barrage
During his visit to Kotri Barrage on Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that 46 river embankments in Sindh have been declared ‘sensitive’. Qadirpur and Shank embankments in district Ghotki are facing flood pressure, he said.
“If the flood level rises to 700,000 cusecs, the pressure will also grow,” he said. “We will make all possible efforts to prevent flood destruction and any loss to human life.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2015.
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