Staff Reporter
- Death toll rises to 19 in two days of heavy monsoon rains across Karachi.
- Urban flooding leaves major roads, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, submerged.
- Over 550 power feeders disrupted, many areas face blackouts for 24+ hours.
- NDMA issues fresh alert, warning of more heavy rain and flash floods in Sindh.
Karachi: The death toll from rain-related incidents in Karachi climbed to 19 on Wednesday after two days of heavy monsoon showers battered the city, leaving streets inundated, power disrupted, and flight operations heavily affected.
Torrential Rains and Urban Flooding
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) recorded 178mm of rainfall in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, 145mm on University Road, and over 235mm in Mangopir, far exceeding Karachi’s drainage capacity of just 40mm.
Major roads, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Karsaz, Malir Halt, and University Road, were waterlogged, leaving stranded vehicles and damaged infrastructure. Rainwater also flooded areas such as Old City Area, Aram Bagh, Sindh High Court, Liaquatabad, and Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Human Toll
Rescue officials confirmed that women and children were among the deceased.
- Electrocution claimed the highest toll, killing nine people across Shah Faisal Colony, DHA, and North Karachi.
- A wall collapse in Gulistan-e-Jauhar killed five people, including two women and three children.
- An eight-year-old boy died in Orangi Town after a wall caved in.
- A 70-year-old disabled man was found dead in his flooded PECHS residence.
- A fire at a petrol pump in Malir City killed one person and injured three.
Power Outages and Flight Disruptions
K-Electric reported that over 550 feeders were disrupted, with many areas, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, North Nazimabad, Korangi, Orangi Town, Malir, and PECHS, facing blackouts for more than 24 hours.
At Jinnah International Airport, several domestic flights were cancelled and international flights delayed as airline staff struggled to reach duty stations due to flooding.
Emergency Measures
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah declared a public holiday on Wednesday following Tuesday’s unprecedented downpours. The Sindh High Court also suspended proceedings at its principal seat and subordinate courts due to flooding.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab acknowledged shortcomings in the drainage system but said 3.024 million cubic feet of debris had been removed from storm drains to improve water flow. He urged citizens to avoid road travel during heavy showers.
NDMA Issues New Warning
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a fresh alert, warning of 50–100mm of rain in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Mirpurkhas within 12–24 hours. It also cautioned of possible flash floods in Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro, and Dadu, and rising water levels in the Indus River.
Nationwide, the NDMA reported 47 deaths in the past 24 hours, including 35 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seven in Azad Kashmir, two in Gilgit-Baltistan, two in Balochistan, and one in Punjab.
Outlook
The PMD forecast said Karachi will continue to experience light to moderate rain until August 23, with chances of isolated heavy falls that may worsen flooding.
Mayor Wahab said: “Rainfall was extraordinary, but our teams worked round the clock. I appeal to citizens to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel during urban flooding.”
