Sindh announces closure of schools, seeks Army's help in view of heavy rain forecast

• More than 1.9 million people have been affected in Sindh due to heavy rainfall.
• PDMA says 263 deaths have been reported in Sindh, including 120 children and 35 women.
• Met Office says well-marked low pressure located over east Rajasthan likely to approach Sindh tonight.

Above-normal rain in Sindh, which has flooded hundreds of villages and low-lying areas in cities and towns across the province, has disrupted routine life and led to the deaths of hundreds.

In view of the misery caused by the rains and the latest Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) advisory, the Government of Sindh on Tuesday announced the closure of schools and colleges across the province for two days. 

The move followed the Board of Intermediate Education (BIEK), Karachi, announcing the postponement of exams scheduled for August 24 and 25.

Meanwhile, due to the "rain emergency" — as put by the Sindh government — the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) wrote a letter to National Disaster Management Authority seeking the army’s assistance to the civil administration.

Rain affects 1.9 million people in Sindh

A report released by the PDMA has noted that more than 1.9 million people in Sindh have been adversely affected due to heavy rainfall.

It said that 263 deaths were reported in Sindh, including 120 children and 35 women and 30,150 cattle died in rain-related accidents.

Meanwhile, a total of 701 injuries were reported across Sindh, including 144 children.

The PDMA also said that approximately 104,000 houses were completely destroyed while the infrastructure of 225,677 houses was damaged.

Army comes to rescue

Amid country-wide flooding, Pakistan Army troops are busy in rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), rescue and relief efforts are underway in Hyderabad, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Jamshoro, Noshero Feroz and various other districts of Sindh.

Special army helicopters were flown from Karachi to affected areas of interior Sindh to speed up rescue and relief efforts.

Food supplies are being distributed in affected areas and medical aid is also being provided to the affected people.

In Punjab, Pakistan Army helicopters have assisted civil administration in the distribution of relief goods for flood-hit people in far-flung and inaccessible areas of DG Khan district.

FC KP troops are also assisting civil administration in flood relief operations in Chitral and other flood-hit areas.

PMD forecasts more rains

The PMD released an advisory earlier in the day forecasting more rains in the country during the week.

The Met Office said that a well-marked low pressure located over east Rajasthan, India, is likely to move in the northwest direction and approach Sindh tonight.

“Due to this strong weather system monsoon currents are penetrating in southern and upper parts of the country,” the PMD warned.

Under the influence of this weather system:

• More rain-wind/thundershowers (with scattered heavy to very heavy falls) are expected in Sindh, south Punjab, south and northeastern Balochistan from August 23-26 with occasional gaps
• Rain-wind/thundershowers (with isolated heavy falls) are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from August 23 (night) to 26 with occasional gaps

Moreover, heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Jam, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Naushahro Feroz, Larkana, Jaccobabad and Sukkur on August 24 and 25