Sindh govt on high alert as PMD forecasts another rain spell starting tomorrow

KARACHI: Sindh’s Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah on Tuesday ordered all district administrations to remain on “high alert” in view of further expected rains in the province this week.

The Paki­s­tan Meteorological Depar­tment (PMD) has predicted showers in parts of Sindh between March 25 and March 29, with occasional gaps.

Chairing a meeting, the chief secretary directed the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to issue an immediate advisory on the situation.

All commissioners, deputy commissioners (DCs) and assistant commissioners participated in the meeting, which was attended virtually by most, and were directed to be present in the field for the next seven days.

Noting the PMD’s prediction of rainfall, Shah directed the PDMA to issue an advisory on the situation. He also ordered the district administrations and local government institutions to remain fully mobilised and in the field.

He directed the meeting to ensure the “availability and functionality of all necessary machinery for drainage” and to take emergency measures to maintain the flow of traffic. Immediate action was also directed against “dangerous” billboards, as rain and strong winds pose a hazard.

The chief secretary also issued instructions for an awareness campaign to be run to inform the public about the situation and directed all relevant institutions to take preliminary measures to ensure full readiness for the upcoming spell of rain.

PDMA issues advisory

In Monday’s statement, the PMD predicted rainfall and thunderstorms across the country from March 24 to March 30 with “occasional gaps”.

Subsequently, the Sindh PDMA on Tuesday issued a province-wide alert warning of rain and strong winds in the coming days, urging authorities and the public to take precautionary measures.

PDMA Director General Salman Shah said several districts, including Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Dadu, Kashmore, Jacobabad and Larkana, could be affected by the weather system.

The PDMA directed its staff to remain on alert with necessary machinery in place to respond to any emergency situation. Authorities warned that strong winds and possible hailstorms could damage weak structures and solar panels.

Officials also cautioned that standing crops in various areas may suffer losses due to adverse weather conditions, while a drop in temperature is expected during the period.

Citizens were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, while tourists and commuters were urged to exercise caution. Farmers were also asked to take preventive measures to protect their crops.

The PDMA said all DCs and relevant departments have been instructed to remain on high alert and “advance arrangements” have been ensured to effectively deal with any emergency situation.

Separately, in its Tuesday’s forecast for Karachi, the PMD said the weather was expected to be “partly cloudy” with a maximum temperature of between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature today was 24°C.

“The current temperature is 25°C and the humidity is 88 per cent. The wind is currently blowing from the northwest at a speed of eight kilometres per hour,” it said in its statement issued at around 10am.