KARACHI: While the sky remained overcast the whole day on Saturday, only some areas of the city saw drizzle as the Met department released another alert, warning of widespread rain that may cause urban flooding in several districts of Sindh and Balochistan, including Karachi, in the next two days.

On Saturday, the maximum rainfall was recorded in Gulshan-i-Hadeed (9mm) followed by Nazimabad (0.8mm) and Orangi town (3mm) while most areas reported ‘trace’.

According to the Met office, the low-pressure area persisting over the northeast Arabian Sea and the adjoining Gulf of Kutch has intensified into a depression (intense low-pressure area) with maximum wind speed of 50-55 km per hour.

Located about 400km southeast of Karachi and 340km from Thatta, the system is likely to move towards the Oman coast in the next two days.

“Under the influence of this weather system, widespread wind-thunderstorms/rain-showers with scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, are likely in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thaparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Ghotki districts in Sindh till July 18,” it said.

The Met office added: “Lasbella, Uthal, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Jiwani, Turbat, Awaran and Ketch areas may witness scattered heavy/very heavy falls, extremely heavy at times, during July 17- 18.”

Sea conditions would remain very rough during the next three days and fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan are advised not to venture in the open sea till Monday.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2022