Rain spell to hit Karachi from Friday

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast fresh spell of torrential rains across the country from April 27 (Thursday) to May 3 (Wednesday), ARY News reported.

According to the Met Office alert issued on Wednesday, a fresh westerly wave is likely to enter southern Balochistan today. Under the influence of this weather system, torrential rains are expected in Sindh and Balochistan from April 28 to May 3 with occasional gaps, the Met Office said.

“This weather system from Oman will also bring rainfall in Karachi,” said Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz and ruled out the risk of urban flooding in the metropolis.

“Rain-wind/thunderstorm is expected in Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur), Gilgit-Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Islamabad, Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Lahore from 26th April (Evening/night) to 29th April,” it said.

The Met department durther said: “Rain-dust/thunderstorm with isolated heavy fall and hailstorm also expected in Balochistan (Quetta, Zhob, Barkhan,

Qila Saifullah, Qillah Abdullah, Chamman, Pishin, Noshki, Naseerabad, Sibbi, Khuzdar, Kalat, Lasbella, Awaran, Kharan, Makran coast), south Punjab (Multan, D.G. Khan, Bahawalnagar and Sahiwal), Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Umarkot, Tharparkar, Mitiyari, Tandojam and Jamshoro from 27th April (evening/night) to 03rd May.”

More rain- wind/thunderstorm with isolated heavy fall and hailstorm is expected in Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur), Gilgit-Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Bajaur, Kurram, Waziristan, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Mansehra, Buner, Kohistan, Shangla, Haripur, Abbottabad, Islamabad, Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Khushab, Mianwali, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib from 30th April to 05th May, the statement read.

The Met Office further said that rain could trigger landslides in Kashmir, hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Murree, Chilas, Diamer, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer and Skardu during the forecast period.