A fresh rain spell hit parts of Karachi on Saturday as the federal government, under directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, declared an emergency in the country’s rain and flood-affected areas.
Saddar, I I Chundrigar Road, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, and some surrounding areas of Pakistan’s biggest city received the rains.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast moderate rain in Karachi from August 6-9 and heavy downpours from August 10 to 15.
The Met Office warned that heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas from August 11 to 13.
Weather expert Jawad Memon told media that the fresh monsoon system is near Sindh and the Gujrat border with India, with 40% of the system in Sindh and the rest in India.
Memon said that the system would head towards the Arabian Sea in the next 24-36 hours, and once it reaches there, it will become weaker.
The weather expert said that Karachi is expected to receive rains today and tomorrow, and today afternoon, heavy rains are likely to lash parts of the city.
Lahore rains; warning issued
In Lahore, several areas were pounded by heavy rains, including Mall Road, Davis Road, Shimla Pahari Road, and Dharmapura.
Apart from these areas, Harbanspura, Iqbal Town, Sabzazar, Green Town, Jauhar Town, Sadar, Cantt, Garhi Shahu, and Railway Station received significant rain.
In a statement, the PMD said the monsoon currents are set to become stronger in the country and will likely cause more rains and urban flooding this and next week.
According to the Met Office, under the influence of the new weather system, rains coupled with wind and thunderstorms are expected to fall in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, northeast Punjab, upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Balochistan and south-eastern Sindh from August 6 to August 9 with occasional gaps.
Also, rainfall along with strong winds and thunders is expected in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and parts of Balochistan from August 10 to August 13 with occasional gaps.
About the impacts of rains, the Met Office said the downpours could generate flash floods in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala on August 8, August 10, August 11 and August 12.
Flash flooding is expected in local nullahs of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Shakargarh, Sialkot, Narowal, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Kashmir on August 8 and from August 10 to August 12.
