KARACHI: Sindh is likely to receive the first monsoon rain from June 16 to June 19, following dust and thunderstorm due to a pre-monsoon system, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said. The Met office also predicted that Karachi would receive more rain as compared to last year. Last year’s heavy torrents left Karachi underwater due to heavy urban flooding.
Several districts of Sindh would receive moderate to heavy rains. “Dust/thunderstorm-rain with few moderate/heavy falls (especially) in Dadu, Sukkur, Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Umarkot, Thar, Badin in all districts from June 17 to 19,” the PMD said.
The PMD further advised that under the influence of the first rainy spell the pre-monsoon system is likely to subside the hot spell in central and upper Sindh, while low lying areas in Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Umarkot, Thar, Dadu, Sukkur and Larkana districts may face water logging/inundation at times due to occasional heavy showers.
A Met official said that last year, the eastern half of the country received more rains as around 50 percent of rain-causing systems headed towards Sindh. However, the actual prediction of the expected rainfall could take a couple of more weeks, he stated.
Upper areas of the country are likely to get slightly below-average rainfall, while Sindh and southern Punjab are likely to get slightly higher-than-normal rainfall, the PMD official said, quoting the weather outlook for the monsoon in Pakistan.
Last year, rains wreaked havoc in Karachi, claiming the lives of several people in different rain-related incidents. Rainwater accumulated on almost all streets and thoroughfares of the metropolis, adding to the misery of the city’s residents.
K-Electric (KE), Karachi’s power utility, came under intense criticism after several people were electrocuted, and power outages became the norm at the first sight of rain. However, in response, KE stated that electrocution incidents were caused by damage to non-KE wires, water motors, and illegal electricity connections.
