Karachi weather: Will the port city see more showers?

KARACHI: The residents of the metropolis on Tuesday woke up to heavy rains, turning the port city's weather pleasant after a brief spell of hot and humid weather.

As showers reported in several parts of the metropolis including II Chunrigar Road, Sharea Faisal, Airport Road and others, weather expert Jawad Memon has said that the city is expected to witness intermittent rain throughout the day today.

"A monsoon system is present in the Arabian Sea. Due to humidity, the system has turned into a low-pressure area," Memon remarked while predicting more moderate showers.

The latest showers come in the backdrop of Pakistan Meteorological Department's (PMD) forecast of isolated showers in the country's financial hub till August 23.

With strong monsoon entering Sindh, PMD noted, rain thunderstorm/rain with few moderate to isolated heavy falls is expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Tharparkar, and surrounding areas.

The next two days, the Met Office has warned, are very important with regards to rains in the city as well as the province.

"Moderate to heavy rainfall may cause urban flooding in Karachi," it said, adding that a monsoon system was present in the form of a depression near Western Odisha and will reach Gujarat in India in the next one and a half days.

Meanwhile, the Sindh chief secretary has directed the administration, the local government department and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to remain alert.

"Immediate drainage of rainwater should be ensured," the chief secretary said while directing the deputy commissioners to ensure their presence along with their staff on the field.

Expanding on the weather conditions, weather experts have advised citizens to avoid going outside in light of expected thunderstorms in Karachi.

Urging citizens to use their cellphones only for emergency calls during severe thunderstorms, the weathermen have also alerted people against bathing and washing dishes as lightning strikes can hit a house and can cause current to pass through iron pipes.