Karachi braced for heavy rains today as the Sindh government declared a rain emergency in the province alerting all concerned departments to be on their guard to tackle any situation including urban flooding, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Besides shutting down early the government and private offices today, the authorities directed the deputy commissioners and all officials concerned to take required measures.

According to the Met Department, rain/thunderstorms with few heavy falls are expected in northern parts of the province from Feb 29 till March 2. Similar weather conditions are likely to prevail in the rest of the province from March 1. “Heavy falls may generate urban flooding in low-lying areas. Fishermen of Balochistan are advised not to venture into deep sea till March 1 while those of Sindh are advised to remain careful during the forecast period,” it said.

Meanwhile, rain turned weather chilly in Lahore on Friday as light rain continued for hours.

Met office also predicted rain and thunderstorm during next 24 hours across south/central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The heavy rain may cause flooding in Islamabad and Rawalpindi’s local nullahs.

Moreover, amid heavy rains during the past 48 hours in Balochistan, more heavy rainfall was expected on Friday which may cause further flooding in Gwadar, Ketch, Turbat, Panjgur, Awaran, Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Dalbandin, Khuzdar, Dera Ghazi Khan, while heavy rainfall and flash flooding was predicted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Met office also warned that heavy rain/snowfall may cause closure of roads in Murree, Galiyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch and Haveli on Friday and Saturday.

Landslides in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan may damage loose structures like electric poles, vehicles and solar panels etc.

During the past 24 hours Balochistan’s Jiwani areas received 63-millimeter rain, Gwadar 54mm, Kalat 37mm, Quetta City 23mm, Samungli 21mm, Dalbandin 14mm, Turbat 8mm, Nokkundi, Sibbi 6mm, Zhob, Barkhan, Khuzdar, Panjgur 4mm, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Parachinar 17mm, DI Khan City 4mm, Bannu 3mm, Chitral 1mm while Punjab’s district Bhakkar received 2mm rain.

Reporters Fatima Khan, Jawad Asif, Sher Jaan