KARACHI: Heavy downpours lashed Karachi for the second day on Sunday as many parts of the port city are still submerged in the rainwater.
The areas that experienced heavy to moderate rains for the second day include North Karachi, Superhighway, Bufferzone, Nagan Chowrangi, Saadi Town, North Naziabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, New MA Jinnah Road, Nazimabad, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Saddar, Shah Faisal Scheme 33 and other areas Sunday morning.
The Met Office said nimbus clouds persisted in central and northern areas of the city, which received rains intermittently.
“The series of rains may continue intermittently till evening,” the meteorological department said adding that it was after 40 years that the city was witnessing such rainfall in February.
Earlier today, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast that the weather in Karachi would remain cloudy and various parts of the metropolis are likely to receive intermittent rain.
The current temperature in the metropolis is 19.9 C, whereas winds are blowing at the speed of 8km an hour from northeast, the PMD said. It said the winds are expected to blow at the speed of 20-25 km an hour during the day.
The humidity is recorded at 92 % in the metropolis, the Met Office said.
Several areas of the city including major arteries are still clogged as rainwater has not been drained from there yet. This includes Qayyumabad Chowrangi, II Chundrigar Road, Burns Road, Arts Council, Korangi Industrial Area Road from Godown Chowrangi to Chamra Chowrangi, Shah Faisal Colony area near Shama Centre. Because of this, people have to take long routes to reach their destinations.
Whereas, rainwater has been drained from Safoora Chowrangi, Gurumandir, Hassan Square and Essa Nagri.
Several areas experienced hours-long power outages due to heavy rainfall. Electricity supply to Gulistan-e-Johar Block 8 and Jamshed Road has been suspended since Saturday night.
Heavy rain coupled with thunder and lightning Saturday night wreaked havoc in parts of Karachi as rainwater mixed with sewage overflowing from choked lines entered houses and hospitals in the port city.
Areas that received downpours included Baldi Town, Orangi Town, North Karachi, Surjani Town, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Korangi, Landhi, DHA, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Orangi Town, Bahria Town, Saddar, North Nazimabad, Tower, Liaquatabad and Nazimabad.
Following the rain, major arteries in the mega city were submerged with rainwater and commuters were stuck in their vehicles as the city administration had not taken any measures to cope with the rain, despite the PMD’s forecast for heavy rain a day earlier.
Parts of the city’s main artery Sharea Faisal were completely submerged with water and scores of cars broke down that further disrupted the traffic movement on Saturday night.
As the rainwater entered the Drigh Road underpass and could not be drained for a long period, chaos ensued on Sharea Faisal.
No emergency response by the city administration showed as if the rain had taken them by surprise and they had no preparations.
The Gizri underpass was also flooded with rainwater and was closed for the traffic movement.
District Central’s Nagan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi, Disco Mor and Surjani Town were also completely flooded with rainwater.
In a few areas, rainwater also entered houses. In District East, the under-construction University Road was completely flooded with rainwater bringing traffic to a standstill for hours.
Many people returning from offices were stuck on roads for hours before they could reach homes.
A statement issued by the officer of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said drainage work was commenced in areas after rainfall had subsided there.
The mayor directed the relevant municipal officials to ensure that rainwater was not accumulated in any area.
Commuters faced troubles due to accumulated water mixed with sewage overflowing from choked lines on most of the roads, including MA Jinnah Road and II Chundrigar Road.
With the first drop of rainfall, different parts of the port city, including North Nazimabad, North Karachi, Korangi, Gulistan-e-Johar and its suburban areas, plunged into darkness because of an electricity supply failure.
Shara-e-Faisal sees highest rainfall
According to statistics issued by the PMD, the highest rainfall was recorded at 75 millimeters on Shara-e-Faisal in the last 24 hours followed by Malir and Surjani Town at 64 and 63.8 millimeters respectively.
Keamari received 55 millimeters of rainfall, Quaidabad 52, Airport area 51, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 50, Masroor Base 47.2, Jinnah Terminal 42 and Saad Town 37.6 millimeters.
Whereas, rainfall in North Karachi was recorded 33.6 millimeters, 30 millimeters on the University Road, 23.8 in Gulshan-e-Meymar, 23.5 in Nazimabad and 15 in Korangi.
Rain plunges parts of city into darkness
Heavy rain coupled with thunder and lightning Saturday night wreaked havoc in parts of Karachi.
Following the rain, major arteries in the PORT city were submerged with rainwater and commuters were stuck in their vehicles as the city administration had not taken any measure to cope with the rain, despite the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had forecast heavy rain a day earlier.
With the first drop of rainfall, different parts of the port city, including North Nazimabad, Sir Syed Town, Adam Town, UP Morr, New Karachi, Yousaf Goth, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Rashid Minhas Road, Liaquatabad, DHA, Gharibabad, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Ahsan Abad, Korangi, Landhi, Garden, Sher Shah, Baldia and other areas, plunged into darkness due to an electricity supply failure.
Rains disrupt domestic, international flight operation at Karachi airport
On the other hand, heavy rains led to the cancelation of 20 flights on Sunday morning due to operational reasons.
The PIA-Jeddah Lahore Flight PK 940 has been diverted to Multan while Emirates Dubai-Karachi flight EK-602 after refueling in Muscat arrived back at Karachi.
Due to the non-availability of aircraft, 16 PIA flights will not be able to operate today, the spokesperson said.
Four Islamabad-Gilgit flights PK-601, 602, 605, and 606 were canceled while four Karachi-Islamabad flights PK-300, 301, 308, and 369 were canceled.
Two PIA Islamabad-Sukkur flights PK-631, and 632 were cancelled while PIA’s Dubai- Islamabad flight PK-211, and 212 were also cancelled.
As per flight data, PIA flights PK-325 and PK-326 between Quetta-Islamabad were canceled while PIA’s Lahore to Quetta flights PK-322 and 323 were also canceled.
A private airline’s Dubai-Islamabad flights PA 210 and 211 were also cancelled. Meanwhile, two flights of foreign airlines from Doha to Multan have been canceled.
Several main arteries in Karachi flooded after heavy rains triggered traffic jams leaving many parts of the metropolis without power.
Pakistan’s largest city has been facing urban flooding each year as every year people die from drowning and electrocution.
Heavy rainfall on Saturday left many parts of the city submerged with rain water including the Shahrah-e-Faisal road, Old City area, Drigh Road, NIPA flyover, and Natha Khan, among others.
Sindh CM directs to facilitate people during heavy rains
Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister (r) Justice Maqbool Baqar issued directions to the concerned authorities of the province to facilitate people during heavy rains.
He directed the authorities of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to ensure draining of rain water from low lying areas. He also directed police to take necessary steps to facilitate people including traffic management.
Meanwhile, a control room has been established at the office of Commissioner Karachi after heavy rains in the city. Heavy rain lashed Karachi last night causing inundation of low lying areas. Following the rain, major arteries in the PORT city were submerged with rainwater and commuters were stuck in their vehicles as the city administration had not taken any measure to cope with the rain, despite the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had forecast heavy rain a day earlier.
Rainwater enters Jinnah Hospital’s Gynae ward in Karachi
Jinnah Hospital’s Gynaecological ward is affected by rainwater after heavy showers in the port city on Saturday evening.
Routine life in Karachi is badly disrupted after heavy showers. Scheduled operations are feard to be delayed due to machinery fault after rainwater damage.
Meanwhile, the electricity in several wards including the ICU is reportedly disconnected after a short circuit in the ICU.
The administration of the Jinnah Hospital failed to save machinery of millions of rupees after heavy rainfall.
