KARACHI; Karachi saw its hottest day in over six decades on Friday, followed by heavy downpour which brought the city to a standstill. Suspended power supply in most areas of the city has still not been restored and according to the Meteorological Department, these rains may continue for the next 36 hours.
At least two people including a policeman lost their lives as heavy drain accompanied by strong winds battered Karachi, leaving major thoroughfares flooded and causing widespread power outages even as residents heaved a sigh of relief from the day’s intense heat.
Among other damages caused to the city’s infrastructure by the second rain spell of the season, a wall of the Bandookwala building located on the city’s I.I. Chundrigar Road collapsed, badly damaging a number of cars parked nearby, according to police.
A policeman, identified as 30-year-old Arshad Ali, who was posted with the Rapid Response Force of police, lost his life when he suffered an electric shock while performing duty at Bahar-i-Madina Water Pump in Ibrahim Hyderi. The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
In a separate incident, a 35-year-old man, Abid Husain, died of electric shock near Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine in Clifton, according to Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director of the JPMC, where the body was brought.
The 62-year-old record of highest temperature recorded was broken today breaching 42 degrees celsius, after which the skies opened up, much to the relief of the citizens. However, the downpour that started as a drizzle soon turned into heavy rain clogging the city’s streets and highways. The governmental and the district administration were nowhere to be seen in this time of need.
Several feet of water flooded the Shahra-e-Faisal and Korangi Road while Punjab Chowrangi, Old City area and most of the Indus passes were also submerged. Most vehicles and motorcycles were rendered immobile due to the high levels of water in Defense and Clifton.
According to the Met Office, Karachi received a maximum 63.5mm of rain at PAF Faisal Base, Saddar (41.0mm), Gulshan-i-Hadeed (40.0mm), Landhi (40.0mm), Karachi MOS (28.0mm), University Road (16.0mm), Jinnah Terminal (15.0mm), Nazimabad (9.0mm), Masroor Base (5.7mm) and North Karachi (traces).
The K-Electric (KE), which has already come under fire from all sides in recent weeks over frequent unannounced load-shedding and complaints of overbilling, took to Twitter to say that heavy rains and winds were “causing power disruption throughout the city”.
It said some of its feeders were switched off for “safety reasons”. “Teams are working for swift restoration of power,” the power utility added.
As commuters returning from their workplaces complained of major roads such as Sharea Faisal being inundated and traffic moving at a snail’s pace, Sindh Minister for Local Government Nasir Hussain Shah and Adviser to the Chief Minister Barrister Murtaza Wahab undertook a visit to various areas to review the situation.
Many netizens criticised the municipal authorities and provincial government for not having prepared adequately for the heavy rains which led to roads being flooded.
In a statement, Shah said efforts were being made to bring the situation back to normal following the heavy rain and that drainage of rainwater was continuing due to a “comprehensive strategy”.
He said the administrations of all districts were fully active while the process of cleaning storm-water drains was continuing uninterrupted.
According to Shah, pumping stations of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board were functioning non-stop and dewatering machines had been installed at major choking points.
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