Sindh govt on ‘high alert’ in view of upcoming rain spell

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 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.

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.

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

It warned that windstorms and hailstorms could also damage standing crops in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, advising farmers to “manage their crops according to the prevailing weather conditions”.

It further advised tourists and travellers to remain “extra cautious” and avoid unnecessary travel during the forecast period.