The Sindh government announced on Wednesday that all public and private schools and colleges across the province will remain closed on Thursday, August 18, due to the flood-like situation following a fresh spell of monsoon rains, Aaj News reported.
"All schools and colleges across Sindh will remain closed tomorrow due to the ongoing monsoon rains," Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said in a statement.
His statement comes after all Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association announced to close educational institutions in Karachi on Thursday.
“Schools and colleges in rain-affected areas of the metropolis will remain closed on Thursday,” the association’s chairman, Haider Ali, said in a statement, adding that the decision was made owing to the current weather conditions.
Sindh govt declares Monday public holiday in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions
Moreover, Controller Examination BISE Karachi Anwar Alim Khanzada also announced that all intermediate examinations scheduled for Thursday, August 18, have been rescheduled.
“These papers will be taken on August 25,” he said.
The relentless monsoon rains continued to batter the metropolis on Wednesday, causing urban flooding and suspension of power in many areas.
In a statement, the PMD predicted heavy rains in Sindh and Balochistan from August 17 to 19.
“Due to heavy rains, there is a risk of flooding in the urban areas of Sindh while other low-lying areas could be submerged in water,” it said. “Low-lying areas of Balochistan are also likely to be inundated along with flooding of local rivers.”
The PMD also flagged the risk of flooding in the rain-fed and other rivers of South Punjab and lower Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The met office stated that the monsoon low-pressure area continued to persist over eastern Sindh.
Under the influence of this weather system, heavy rainfall may create water-logging/urban flooding in low-lying areas of Karachi, Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Umarkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Tando Allayar districts, the statement said.
Moreover, Dadu, Jamshoro, Noshero Feroz, Shaheed Benazirabad, Kambar Shahdadkot, Larkana and Sukkur districts would also witness heavy downpour, said the PMD.
Heavy falls may trigger flash flooding/ hill torrents in local nullahs of Zhob, Pishin, Chaman, Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Jhal Magsi, Jafarabad, Nasirabad, Ziarat, Pishin, Khuzdar, Musakhel, Lasbella, Kalat, Quetta, Mastung and Ziarat during the forecast period.
“The ongoing wet spell over northeastern and southern districts of Balochistan will become intense during 18-20 August which might trigger flash flooding in Dadu, Jamshoro, Kambar Shahdadkot districts and downstream,” the PMD said.