KARACHI, Feb 17: The city received an average of 16.5 millimetres of rain on Monday.
The rain brought a pleasant change to the city’s weather, allowing people, particularly youngsters, to enjoy themselves in the drizzle and occasional downpour. On the other hand, the rainwater submerged many roads and streets, making movement both on foot and on wheels difficult.
Pakistan Meteorological Department officials told Dawn that their observatory at Faisal Base had recorded 12 millimetres of rain, Airport 2 millimetres, Baldia 1.5 millimetres, Masroor Base 1 millimetre and North Karachi less than 1 millimetre.
They added that other areas in the country had also received rains on Monday.
According to a PMD press release, the present weather system sweeping Pakistan has caused a severe micro low pressure system (probably tornadic effect) in southeast Sindh. “It appears that the system attained its maximum intensity near Gadap, Ali Mohammad Goth and Dawood Goth. Under its influence the following two elements are noteworthy: very strong wind due to the influence of strong pressure gradient and strong downdraft, and it caused rainfall in affected areas,” it says.
The press release adds that due to the combined effect of the above factors houses collapsed and properties were destroyed. Since the weather phenomenon happened during late night, death casualties have occurred and a number of people injured. A team of meteorologists visited the area and examined the damaged houses.”
The Karachi Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, visited Union Council 5 and Songal and Ali Mohammed Khaskheli villages in Gadap Town which were affected by heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorm.
The Nazim visited the collapsed houses in each village and offered condolences to the bereaved families and also inquired about health of the injured.
Speaking to people there, Mr Khan said the damage suffered by them would be compensated for and a relief package would be worked out in collaboration with the high-ups of the Sindh government.
He announced a compensation amount of Rs50,000 each for the killed persons and Rs10,000 for the injured.
He issued directives for the immediate supply of wheat, rice, pulses, sugar, tea, powdered milk as well as quilts and blankets. He said these items must be made available by tonight.
The District Coordination Officer of Karachi, Mir Hussain Ali, ordered a survey of life and property losses in Gadap Town because of the heavy rain and windstorm.
He paid a visit to the affected areas on Monday with the executive district officer, Javed Hanif, and other officials of the city government.
On his directives, two relief camps were set up in the affected areas.
Mr Ali directed Health EDO Dr Nawaz Shaikh to make arrangements for the provision of medical attention as well as medicines.
He said a camp should operate round the clock and the injured be admitted to hospitals.
TRAFFIC: Monday’s drizzle badly affected vehicular traffic on almost all the important thoroughfares of the city, namely Sharea Faisal, Sharah-i-Pakistan, Jamshed Road, Jehangir Road, Nawab Siddique Ali Khan Road and M.A. Jinnah Road.
Cars, pickups, trucks, buses, motorcycles and scooters, lined up on all these roads for miles, were seen inching forward as policemen sought to come to grips with the situation. The situation worsened due to the closure of several roads to traffic.
One motorist, who was trying to get from his residence in Federal B Area to his offices on I.I. Chundrigar Road, managed to do so after a drive of about two hours.
He told Dawn that he got a rather smooth sailing up to Liaquatabad.
However, as he approached Teen Hatti things started getting “tough”.
KARACHI, Feb 17: The city received an average of 16.5 millimetres of rain on Monday.
