PMD warns of floods as heavy monsoon showers forecast in Sindh for next 3 days

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday forecast heavy monsoon rains across Sindh over the next 72 hours, warning that the inclement weather may cause flooding in certain districts of the province.
The advisory issued today said that, “A series of powerful monsoon winds is affecting the North-Central and Eastern and North-Eastern regions of Balochistan,”
Intermittent thunderstorms were forecast in the districts of Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Kishore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Larkana, Qamber, Shahdadkot, Nowshahr Dafiroz, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpur Khas, Umarkot, Sanghar, Jamshwar and Dadu. The advisory predicted that the weather pattern would remain until August 19.
The department also said that heavy downpours and thunderstorms could be expected until August 19 in Tharparkar, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Meyari, Tand and Muhammad Khan, Kand and Amiyar, districts of Sajawal and Andhi in Karachi Division.
In Sindh, a total of 49 millimetres of rainfall was recorded on Saturday morning. Rohri saw the most rainfall, recording 16mm, while Hyderabad Airport saw the least with only 1mm recorded. Other districts and cities reported either trace rainfall or none at all.

An image of a weather radar shows a monsoon weather heading southwest over Sindh. — Photo courtesy Pakistan Meteorological Department

Water was expected to accumulate in low-lying areas including Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Kashmore, Jacobabad and Shikarpur, causing flooding. Moreover, the PMD said downpours, high winds and lightning may cause weak structures like roofs and walls in mud houses to collapse and damage electric pylons, billboards, vehicles and solar panels among other items during the forecast period.
Farmers were advised to “manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast”, while the relevant authorities were put on alert to respond to emergencies.
Meanwhile, an advisory from the Flood Forecasting Division warned of “rain of moderate to heavy intensity with scattered very heavy and isolated extremely heavy falls” over Sindh, along with Zhob, Sibi, Kalat and Makran divisions in Balochistan and Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan.
It also warned of medium to high levels of flash flooding in the hill torrents of DG Khan division and in the nullahs of Sibi, Nasirabad, Zhob, Kalat, Larkana and Hyderabad divisions.
The PMD said the weather in Karachi would be “mostly cloudy with chances of rain/thunderstorm” on all three days. the maximum temperature during the three-day period will remain the same, ranging between 30-32 degrees Celsius.
Last Sunday, a teenage boy died from electrocution as intermittent light rain was reported from most parts of Karachi. An Edhi spokesperson said that the incident was related to rain. The body was shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities.
The Met Office said that the city received rain under the influence of monsoon currents penetrating into lower parts of Sindh from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.