Emergency in 18 Towns: Cyclonic Rains Play Havoc in Pakistan                    
‘Pakistan Times’ Bureaus Report

LAHORE/KARACHI/PESHAWAR/QUETTA: Amid reports about widespread rains with snow falls in hilly areas of Pakistan, City District government of Karachi Monday evening declared emergency in 18 towns due to heavy winter cyclonic rains after met office reported 51mm measured at their gauge.

Reports say that at least six people died in Karachi by rain related incidents.

The City Nazim Syed Mustafa has directed the officials in all the towns to attend to suffering people for 24 hours while making sure that all the staff members are present at the complaint centers.

The rains continued intermittently throughout Sunday-Monday night while heavy burst of clouds in the afternoon on Monday sent citizens into gasping for breath as they knew that they were in for lot of trouble.

The cyclonic winds sent the temperature crashing to around 20s and even lower at some places.

As usual during and after the rain traffic jams occurred on major roads of Karachi as rainwater accumulated obstructing smooth flow of traffic while public transport disappeared causing complex problems for office goers.

There was a worst traffic jam at Metropole hotel, Club Road and Shahrah-e-Faisal which is the main artery of Karachi’s traffic system.

Same type of serious traffic jam was occurred at the same place during Monsoon rains but the city administration and traffic police failed to make an affective arrangement for smooth flow of traffic.

The areas worst affected were New Karachi, North Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Liaquatabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Landhi, Korangi, Lyari and some portions of Saddar and Sharah-e-Faisal. There was knee deep water at Guru Mandir crossing where several cars and other vehicles were found half submerged in water.

There is heavy rush at this crossing on usual days and as there is no arrangement for substandard rainwater drains. Northern and Sothern Karachi has been bisected by the accumulated water.

People Electrocuted

According to Karachi Electricity Supply Company their engineers had cut off electricity to avoid people being electrocuted in low lying area where damages are caused due to storm felling live wires.

Karachi, Sukkur, Nawabshah and Tando Mohammad Khan received heavy rains sending the communication, electricity and sewerage systems in disarray and injuring several persons.

Reports reaching here say that four bridges developed wide cracks in their foundations on coastal and RCD highways cutting off connections of major Balochistan towns with Karachi. Traffic has come to a stand still for the last 24 hours as the authorities have said that it may take three days to restore the road links.

The cut off in traffic has caused a number of children and women who are trapped in their vehicles as the ravines start overflowing at places of heavy rains.

The Lasbela District government has also declared emergency in the area while the government is trying to fill the cracks caused by rains and set up emergency camps to provide relief to the affected.

In Karachi rains, accompanied by lightening and thunderstorm, disrupted all sort of communications including road transport, telecommunication besides disturbing rail and air traffic here on Monday.

Though the total amount of rainfall was hardly around 40 mm yet the standing water on roads caused great hardships to the commuters here on Monday.

Weather forecast says that it will rain today, Tuesday also.

Not only the urban population but also the old settlements and Goths of Karachi and Hyderabad have been badly affected.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan Monday issued directives for initiation of immediate steps by departments concerned to cope with the rain situation throughout the province.

Calling for ensuring all emergency measures for the occasion, he said action be initiated without any delay. He stressed the need for immediate draining out water from low lying areas, shifting the affected people to safer places and maintaining communication sources.

He directed the Traffic police to take emergeny measures to keep the traffic moving on city roads and said vehicles stuckup in rain water be removed.

He ordered that situation be kept under continuous monitoring by Pakistan Navy, KPT, KESC, Fire Brigade and all other organizations concerned besides providing necessary relief.

Punjab & NWFP

In Punjab Lahore received rain on Monday which made weather quite cold with local met office forecasting similar weather during next 24 hours.

The rain which started on Sunday night was continuing intermittently till the filing of this report.

Local met office recorded 3.0 mm rain at the airport and 4.00 mm rain in the city.

Weather experts say that westerly wave lies over Kashmir which is likely to cause widespread rain in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala divisions and scattered rain in Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad divisions.

Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been receiving heavy rain since Monday morning. Murree and hilly areas are covered with thick snowfall.

Meanwhile, three children died and two injured when roof of a dilapidated police post collapsed at village Zahidabad in Batabar areas in the outskirts of Peshawar due to torrential rain continuing for the last 48 hours in provincial capital.

The children were playing in an abandoned police post when the roof suddenly caved in killing Izhar, son of Attaullah, Rizwan son of Mir Muhammad, Suddam, son of Samsul Islam residents of Zahidabad while nine-year old Haroon, son of Yasin, and Luqman, son of Yar Muhammad sustained injuries and were rushed to the local hospital.

In Chitral, one person died and two other injured as a heavy avalanche fell upon the passenger vehicle at top of Lawari Pass here, police informed APP on Monday.

Naeemuddin 24, died on the spot while Muhammad Noor and Jalal- ud-Din got injured. Body of the deceased could not be recovered due to heavy snow fall. Chitral Police is still trying to recover the body.

Balochistan

In Balochistan, rain continued in major parts of the province on Monday Major parts of Balochistan are in the grip of intermittent rain since Saturday morning while Quetta received another 6mm of rain.

Hill tops around Quetta also received some snowfall while valleys of Ziarat and its surroundings whitened which lowered the temperature to minus. Rain and snowfall continued in Kalat for the last 40 hours.

According to met office Gwadar received 83mm, Pasni 69.2mm, Turbat 60mm, Barkhan 50mm, Panjgur 49mm, Kalat 34.2mm, Khuzdar 32.8mm, Lasbella 11.7mm, Sibi 10.6mm, Nokkundi 9.3mm, Zhob 2mm,Dalbandin 1.3mm and Jiwani 14.8mm of rain. Kalat and Chaman were cut off with rest of the areas due to heavy rain and snowfalls.

Traffic was suspended between Quetta-Karachi sections of RCD highway as a portion was swept away in district Lasbella. Nullah and streams were flooded due to continuity in rain.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Secretary Mr. K.B. Rind has expressed great concern over cleanliness and sewerage system in Quetta city and has directed for improving it immediately.

Rind issued directives during his visit to various parts of Metropolis including Zarghoon Road, Samungli Road, Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Kandhari Bazaar, Liaquat Bazaar and Imdad Chowk.

Taking notice of flooding of roads by rain water and filth he directed immediate cleanliness and improvement in the sewerage system.

He alighted from his vehicle and inspected various sites and directed DCO, TMO and other concerned to remove filth and to pump out standing water on the roads.

The provincial chief secretary has directed health department and town administration to carry out spray in the city against.●