Parts of Karachi receive heavy rain amid urban flooding risk

Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Karachi on Sunday, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warning that the downpours could trigger urban flooding in the city’s low-lying areas.

Light to heavy rain is being reporated in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Malir Halt, Rafa-e-Aam, Bahria Town and surrounding areas near the M9 Motorway.

According to the Met Office, rain-bearing clouds are currently present over the eastern parts of the megacity. “These clouds may spread further in the city,” it added.

“Unusual downpours” are expected in Sindh during the next 48 hours, warned the Met Office.   

It added that the “depression” over India’s southwest Rajasthan and Gujarat has strengthened into a “deep depression”.

The “deep depression” is likely to enter southeastern Sindh within the next 24 hours, said the Met Office. Under the influence of the weather system, heavy rains were expected in Tharparkar, Umarkot and other cities of Sindh till September 10.

Karachi is also expected to receive intermittent heavy rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds during the period, it added.

In its warning issued on Saturday, the National Weather Forecasting Centre said that rain-wind/thundershowers are expected in Sindh and South Punjab, while heavy falls are also likely at isolated places in Sindh.

"A low-pressure system is currently located over Rajasthan and is likely to move westwards. Monsoon currents are penetrating in Sindh and eastern parts of Punjab, which may likely to intensify," it said.

It further warned that torrential rains may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tharparker, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Hyderabad and Karachi.

More rainfall in the flood-affected areas of Punjab may exacerbate the situation during the forecast period, it added.