KARACHI, Feb 20: The city might experience the same kind of rains that lashed the country a couple of days ago and bigger in intensity and reach early next month.
The chief meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Arif Mehmood, told Dawn on Thursday that the rains had raised water levels in all the dams in the country. “The water level in the Mangla Dam has risen from what is called the dead level - barely enough for power generation - of 1,040 feet to 1,102 feet. Similarly, the water level in the largest earth- filled dam in the country at Tarbela has risen from 1,376 feet to 1,381 feet. The other dams in the country, such as the Hub Dam, Simli Dam and Rawal Dam, have also registered a rise in the water level,” he explained.
He added that the wheat crop all over Pakistan would benefit immensely from the rains. “Rawalkot received the highest amount of the Feb 17 rainfall at 346 millimetres. Garhi Dupatta received 281 millimetres of rain, Murree 226 millimetres, Quetta 208 millimetres, Hyderabad 106 millimetres, Balakot 197 millimetres, Islamabad 180 millimetres and Rawalpindi 140 millimetres.”
The chief meteorologist said Karachi’s record of rains showed that the city had received the maximum amount of rains in July 1967 which had totalled 429.3 millimetres. “At least three factors are responsible for the change in the weather pattern of Karachi. First, the increase in the population. Second, the spread of the areas under population. Third, pollution emanating from the industrial localities of the city. In Feb 1979, for instance, the city had received 96 millimetres of rain.”
He blamed some inaccurate media reports for causing panic in the city which said that Gadap had been pummelled by an earthquake. “The weather system that swept Pakistan on Feb 17 caused a severe low pressure system, known as tornadic effect, in southeast Sindh. It appears that the system attained its maximum intensity near Gadap, Ali Mohammed Goth and Dawood Goth. Under its influence the following two elements were noteworthy: very strong wind due to the influence of strong pressure gradient and strong downdraft, and it caused rainfall in effected areas,” he explained.
He said due to the combined effect of these factors houses collapsed and properties were destroyed. “Since the weather phenomenon happened during late night, deaths occurred and a number of people were injured. A team of meteorologists visited the area and examined the damaged houses,” he said.
Mr Mehmood contended that the weather forecast put out by the Pakistan Meteorological Department before Feb 17 had accurately mentioned that rains accompanied by strong winds would lash Pakistan. “A westerly low remained over the upper NWFP and adjoining areas from Feb 16 to 19. In the same way, the low pressure over Balochistan and its adjoining areas, with its trough extending to Sindh and southern Punjab, persisted on Feb 17 and Feb 18,” he said.