Met Office predicts heavy rains in Karachi on Saturday

• Downpour in Karachi results in major traffic jams across the city.
• CM Sindh takes notice of the rain spell that drowned the city and caused waterlogging.
• Highest rainfall recorded at 47 millimetres in Saadi Town and the lowest in Orangi town at 9mm.

KARACHI: Karachi may witness more downpours and thunderstorms on Saturday, the Metrological department has predicted after torrential rain lashed several parts of the city on Friday.

The Met department said: “Rain clouds present in the southeastern side of Arabian sea are moving towards the metropolitan.”

A few hours of rain once again drowned the city and caused waterlogging and traffic jams on multiple stretches.

The power supply remained suspended in several areas. Many city areas including Akhtar Colony, Kashmir Colony, and Defence View remained without electricity for several hours.

Saadi Town receives 47mm of rain

The Metrological department’s recently released data showed that the maximum rainfall recorded in Saadi Town was 47 millimetres, University Road received 34.4mm, North Karachi 28.4mm, and Jinnah Terminal 22mm.

According to the data, 28.8mm rain was recorded in Surjani, PAF Faisal Base received 25mm, PAF Masroor Base 20mm, Old Airport 22mm, Kemari 12.7mm, DHA 21.2mm, Orangi Town and Gulshan-e-Hadeed 9mm and 15mm, while 10.77mm rain was recorded in Nazimabad.

CM Sindh orders quick action to prevent rain-related destruction

As the rain continued to lash several parts of the city, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said that the infrastructure should be developed in a manner that doesn’t affect the city.

He directed all district administrations to remain active. Meanwhile, he further instructed the commission to take quick action to tackle waterlogging after the rain spell ends with the support of local police.

The commission said that the city administration is on high alert and is working to bring the situation back to normal following the heavy rain.

‘Rain spell highlights the incompetency of PPP’

Former Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar said that the few hours of rain have highlighted the incompetency of the ruling PPP. He said: “The city is under the rule of those who neither have connections with the city nor with the people.”

There is urban flooding and piles of garbage, however, there is no one to pick them up, he added.

Wasim Akhtar added that "it seems that the photographer of Karachi administrator is on leave today.”

The former mayor urged the workers of MQM to come out and help the people of Karachi.

Global meteorologist's forecast

According to the global meteorologist Jason Nichols, low pressure is likely to form on the south coast of Orissa on September 5. Next week, it will be towards Central India. 

"The system will cause heavy rains in Mumbai and Gujarat on September 7 and 8," he said, adding that due to the same system, rains may also occur in southeastern Pakistan.