At Least Five People Were Killed In Various Rain-Related Incidents In Karachi On Thursday, Officials And Rescue Services Said, Monsoon Spell
Taking the tally of deaths during the three-day monsoon spell in the city to 16.
A 30-year-old man was electrocuted to death in Landhi area, Edhi services said. His body was shifted to a nearby hospital.
Monsoon Spell, Meanwhile, the Pakistan Navy during its rescue operation recovered the bodies of two persons from Shah Faisal Town and Korangi Crossing areas, which were handed over to their relatives.
According to a statement issued by the navy, it deployed emergency response teams in aid of the civil administration in various areas that were equipped with boats and other life-saving equipment.
During the operation, the navy teams also rescued 55 people trapped in the flooded areas of Malir and Korangi Crossing, while 20 families stranded in Sammoo Goth were also evacuated to a safe location.
A 22-year-old man drowned in Rexel river, according to Chhipa sources. The body of the man, who could not be identified, was shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.
Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man was found floating in a drain in Liaquatabad B-1 area. Area SHO Liaquat Hayat Mehsud said it appeared that the man drowned somewhere in the Lyari River and strong currents brought his body there, which was recovered and shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Monsoon Spell, According to data released by the Met department, PAF Faisal Base recorded 130 millimetres of rain while Nazimabad has recorded 105.6mm since morning. Mausamiyat received 74.3mm of rain, while Saadi Town recorded 72mm.
About 98.5mm of rain was recorded in PAF Masroor Base, Surjani received 73mm while Kemari recorded 82.5mm.
Monsoon Spell, Some 484mm (19 inches) of rain has fallen this month so far, 130mm on Thursday alone, city weatherman Sardar Sarfaraz told Reuters.
“It has never rained so much in the month of August, according to our data,” Sarfaraz said, adding that the data went back to 1931.
Authorities urge residents to stay indoors
Many major arteries witnessed severe traffic jams across the city and many areas of Karachi were experiencing power outages.
Some areas of the city have been without power for more than 10 hours now.
Urban flooding led to the closure of the KPT underpass in Clifton as well as the Punjab Colony, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad and Ghareebabad underpasses for traffic, according to the Traffic Police. The situation caused traffic jams on surrounding roads.
According to the Met Office, the city will continue to receive rain until tonight.
Monsoon Spell, Power was suspended in several areas as a precautionary measure, the Karachi Electric’s spokesperson said.
Noting that there was “heavy rain and severe flooding” across Karachi, the KE, in a tweet, said: “Power shutdown in effect for public safety as streets, houses and buildings flooded. In this crisis please be prepared for prolonged shutdowns as power restoration is dependent on water receding.”
Additionally, Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Suhail Rajput urged people not to leave their homes.
Meanwhile, Sindh Rangers have urged residents to call helpline 1101 or contact on 0347-9001111 via WhatsApp for assistance, Radio Pakistan reported. Residents can also call Edhi Centre at 115 and Chhipa at 1020.
Due to power outages, Edhi’s 115 helpline service was affected, the organisation said in a statement, adding that rainwater had also entered the Edhi control room.
A relief and rescue operation by the Sindh Rangers is underway. Rangers are also coordinating with NGOs to distribute ration packages in areas where food supply has been affected.
Quoting the Rangers spokesperson, Radio Pakistan reported that teams have been constituted to hasten the rescue operation.
‘Disastrous situation’
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, in a statement, said that the incessant, heavy downpour has caused a “disastrous situation” in Karachi.
He further said that due to overflowing of water in Malir and Sukkun Nadi, residents have been stranded, directing authorities to take measures to rescue them. He further said that schools in the area be vacated so stranded residents can be housed in the buildings.
Monsoon Spell, He also instructed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to provide, food, water and other essential items.
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail termed the situation “unusual and abnormal” adding that an “emergency response” was required.
In a tweet, he said that he had briefed Prime Minister Imran Khan on the situation in Karachi.
“PM is monitoring the situation and assured to take any action required,” the governor said.
PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in a tweet, said that this year, Sindh has seen the “worst monsoons in 90 years”. The statement, however, was not confirmed by the Met department.
Bilawal also urged people to “keep all those in your thoughts who have already been working 24/7 to assist citizens during this record breaking unprecedented natural disaster”.
Videos on social media showed roads inundated with water in DHA and some residents reported rainwater entering houses. Vehicles could be seen submerged as rain continued to lash the city.
Social media users also reported rainwater flooding the roads at Zamzama and parts of Saddar. Furthermore, containers placed for security purposes on MA Jinnah Road were also seen floating in rainwater.
The recent monsoon spell has once again exposed the poor infrastructure in the metropolis where several areas have been submerged by rainwater, which is yet to be drained. The flooding damaged vehicles and property and resulted in the deaths of a number of people.
The death toll from rain-related incidents on Tuesday reached 11 after rescue services recovered five more bodies yesterday.
Edhi rescue services also recovered the body of a man who had drowned last night. The victim had drowned near Bahria Town, Super Highway.
This news was originally published at dawn.com