KARACHI: In view of recent forecast of heavy rains in the city, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the civic agencies including the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to be on ‘red alert’.

The chief minister ordered that water boards should complete all arrangements in their respective areas and asked the civic agencies to keep storm-water drains and drainage systems clean.

He said the district administration and police should take care of people and help them in difficult times. He directed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to coordinate with all civic agencies.

Meanwhile, the city administration on Saturday directed all civic agencies and utilities to declare emergency in their respective departments and ensure all necessary measures to provide relief to people in view of the rain forecast.

Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi issued an administrative order to this effect asking all deputy commissioners to establish control rooms in their offices and cancel all leaves of their staff to keep liaison with the relevant authorities.

The order said that the PDMA had issued an alert regarding dust-thunderstorm and rain prediction in parts of Karachi and its outskirts and it was necessary that precautionary and pre-emptive measures were taken to save lives and avoid damage to public and private properties.

“Therefore, all relevant departments including health department, Sindh Building Control Authority, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, KMC, Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, Karachi Development Authority, Lyari Development Authority, Malir Development Authority, cantonment boards, town municipal corporations, Pakistan Telecommunica­tion Company Ltd and other departments and agencies are hereby ordered to declare emergency in their respective departments,” the order read.

The order also advised people to avoid coming out of homes during dust-thunderstorm/rain, stay away from electric and telephone poles and trees, keep children at home and don’t allow them to swim in stagnant rain water.

People have been asked to avoid motorcycle riding or driving in stagnant water, keep a distance from storm-water drains and avoid visiting beaches.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2024