KARACHI: Recent rains in Pakistan were 180% heavier than the average downpour, Zaheeruddin Baber, the Met Office director, said while quoting data recorded by July 25 (Monday).

“Sindh received 390% above the average rainfall,” he told Aaj News. The Pakistan Meteorological Department director added that July and August were the peak monsoon season in the country. It retreats in mid-September with “on and off” rainfall.

Moreover, 387% above normal rainfall was recorded in Balochistan, followed by 118% in Punjab.

The fresh spell in Karachi would prevail till Tuesday or Wednesday, the Met Office said on Saturday. Intense rainfall started in Sindh and the western parts of the province since the first week of July.

The PMD director stressed the need for a holistic approach to dealing with the impact of climate change. Disaster management authorities and the PMD should work together as the weather patterns were changing with extreme drought and rainfall.

Total rainfall (mm) recorded in Karachi last 24 hours on July 25 at 8am by PMD

He was of the view that people needed to adapt to climate change, calling for cooperation in society to deal with the impact that according to experts does not see “boundaries”.

Public holiday in Sindh on Monday

The Sindh government declared Monday a public holiday after over 107mm of rain fell Sunday night in Karachi.

It rained all of Sunday with more predicted Monday, July 25.

Administrator Murtaza Wahab and the KMC staff were out during the night checking the main nullahs. “Soldier Bazaar Nullah is flowing on full capacity,” he tweeted. “Unfortunately the rain hasn’t stopped yet due to which the level of water is not coming down.”

Soldier Bazaar Nullah is the longest in Karachi and drains a major portion of the centre of the city.

He inspected the area around Arts Council, Shaheen Complex, MA Jinnah Road and the Sindh Assembly where an estimated 150 mm of rain fell. “Nullahs are working well but the 48-inch sewerage line has sunk which has aggravated the situation,” he said.

📢July 25th a Public Holiday.. stay home stay safe pic.twitter.com/mTmQSM3axK

— DMCWESTOFFICIAL (@OfficialDmcwest) July 24, 2022

The Greeline bus service was suspended.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the chief secretary headed out to the city’s low-lying and old city areas to inspect the storm water drains. Heavy pumping machines were ordered for DHA where water accumulated.

At Shaheen Complex the nullah was smoothly flowing from Shaheen Complex towards Clifton. A cesspool machine was installed at the road to dispose of accumulating water in the low-lying areas of Ziauddin Road.

At II Chundrigar road the CM saw that the nullah at City Station and then at Habib Bank Plaza was flowing slowly, so a mobile pumping system was installed.

At Mereweather Tower which is usually quickly flooded, a stormwater drain running along the stock exchange building and KPT godowns were choked. Two suction systems, one at the Tower and the other at the back of the KPT godowns, were installed to keep pushing the water to Native Jetty.

The CM went to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Sindh office where he was received by Advisor on Relief Rasool Bux Chandio. The rain monitoring system and rain gauge system installed there had recorded 41mm at 18 different stations of the Met office. If the average rain in the North of the city was calculated it would come to 68 mm by 5.50 pm.