Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has stated that although the current spell of rain has ceased, the next spell beginning on August 11 requires preparedness from all relevant departments, including the local government in urban areas and the Irrigation department in rural areas to ensure the protection of lives, property, and crops through timely and precautionary measures.

This he said while presiding over a meeting here at CM House on Sunday. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Sharjeel Memon, Saeed Ghani, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Local Govt Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, DG PDMA Salman Shah and Chief Metrologist Dr Sarfraz, while Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Minister Relief and Rehabilitation Makhdoom Mahboob, Secretary Irrigation Zareef Khero and the divisional Commissioner attended the meeting through Zoom.

At the outset of the meeting, Chief Metrologist Dr Sarfraz apprised the CM about the weather and told that there was a prediction of above-average rains for August 2024 especially over Sindh and Balochistan with over 50 per cent probability. In July 2024, rain was nine percent below average across Pakistan while Sindh received 44 percent less rain in July. 1 July to 4 Aug, over 11pc across Pakistan, over 48pc in Balochistan, over 17pc in Punjab, while, AJK, KP & GB received deficient rains so far. From July 1 to August 4, plus 16 percent in Sindh with Jacobabad 71.7 percent, Shaheed Benaziabad 49.2pc, Rohri 39.2 percent and Sukkur 53.6 percent, he told. The Chief Metrologist told that heavy spell of the rain would subside by Aug 6, 2024. “The next spells are expected from August 11 to 13. The last days of August such as 18, 20 and 21 would be moderate/heavy falls again.