Karachi braces for second rain spell Clutch Fire

Second spell of rain hits Karachi on Wednesday, as the city continued to reel from record monsoon downpours a day earlier that claimed at least 11 lives, inundated neighbourhoods, disrupted power supply and damaged roads.

Traffic diversions also remained in place across the metropolis amid the lingering aftermath of the deluge.

PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazir Zaigham forecast that thunderstorms with rain could begin across Karachi within the next two hours.

He warned that due to expected rainfall today and tomorrow, there remained risks of urban flooding.

Rain relief efforts continued through the night and by Wednesday morning, Sharah-e-Faisal was mostly cleared, as was Shahrah-e-Bhutto. However, Korangi Crossing near Qayyumanbad remained flooded and closed from either side.

Vehicles were diverted from Qayyumabad Chowrangi towards Baloch Colony and from the CNG cut towards Godown Chowrangi, Express News reported.

The EBM Causeway Road near Mehmoodabad was also shut, with diversions set from Mehmoodabad towards the Expressway and from Godam Chowrangi towards Qayyumabad and Shan Chowrangi.

On Sharae Faisal, the track from the airport remained closed because of deep potholes and accumulated water, forcing traffic diversions from Star Gate.

Tariq Road underpass on Shahrah-e-Millat and Drigh Road Underpass towards the airport were also shut, with vehicles redirected to the service lane.

In Nazimabad, multiple underpasses — including Nazimabad No 1, Nazimabad No 2, Liaquatabad and the stretch linking Habib Bank to Hakim Ibn-e-Sina Road — were closed to traffic.

At Sohrab Goth, the underpass was declared impassable, with traffic from Shafiq Mor diverted over the underpass.

Urdu Bazaar

Several vehicles were stranded between Model Colony and Sharae Faisal. The Nazimabad Chowrangi underpass near Sir Syed College also remained submerged and both tracks were unusable.

Meanwhile, the road from Liaquatabad Post Office to Sindh Hotel, which caved in during Tuesday’s rains, still awaits restoration.

Trash bins were placed on the collapsed stretch to warn pedestrians.

Jehangir Road, Guru Mandir

Public transport bus stuck in a pothole in the Korangi area, where the road had recently been dug up.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the heaviest rainfall was recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed (178mm) and Keamari (173mm). Other significant totals were logged at Airport Old Area (163.5mm), Jinnah Terminal (156.4mm), Surjani Town (151.4mm), Nazimabad (149.6mm), North Karachi (148.8mm), Saadi Town (146mm), Met Office University Road (145mm), Korangi (138.7mm), DHA Phase VII (138mm), PAF Faisal Base (133mm), Gulshan-e-Maymar (102.6mm), PAF Masroor Base (101mm) and Orangi Town (81.2mm).

Bahria Town reported the lowest at 4.8mm. Eastern and port-side areas, including Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Airport and Keamari, were the hardest hit.

Monsoon-related casualties

A young man, around 24, was electrocuted near a pole in Defence Phase 6, while another, identified as Saad Ali, 24, died near the PAF Base Post Office on Shahrah-e-Faisal.

In North Karachi’s Sector 5-A/3, 65-year-old Ishaq lost his life after an electric shock inside his home.

A K-Electric spokesperson expressed grief over the fatal incident in New Karachi and extended condolences to the bereaved family, adding that initial findings suggested the death occurred inside the home and was not linked to the company’s infrastructure.

The spokesperson urged citizens to exercise extreme caution while handling electrical appliances during rain, and to stay away from power installations and poles.

An 18-year-old motorcyclist, Yasir, died from electrocution near the Defence Gizri Bridge after an electric wire fell onto the roadside.

Separately, the body of a 50-year-old man, Muhammad Abbas, was recovered from an uncovered drain near Gurumandir. Abbas, along with his son and another man, had fallen into the drain on Tuesday night while wading through knee-deep water.

Read: Monsoon rains kill seven in Karachi as PMD warns of continued showers

Two of them were rescued immediately, while Abbas’s body was later recovered by Edhi volunteers and shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

According to Chhipa, an eight-year-old boy, Abdullah, son of Abbas, died when a wall collapsed near the Aqsa Mosque in Orangi Town’s Sector 11.5. His body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

In another incident in Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Block 12, four members of a family were killed and a child was injured after a wall of their house gave way.

The deceased were identified as Maryam, 4, Hamza, 3, and Samiya, 24, wife of Mubeen, along with another man aged around 28. A 10-year-old boy was injured in the collapse.

Residents of a building in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 18 were trapped in their flats due to rainwater accumulation and used makeshift stairs to exit the premises.

City officials said drainage operations were underway but warned that diversions and closures would persist in low-lying areas until floodwaters receded and damaged roads were repaired.

Sharjani Town sector four, 112 rescue operations are underway.

Residents trapped in their homes due to rainwater accumulation were being evacuated with the help of boats.

Public Holiday

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced a public holiday in Karachi for Wednesday, August 20, as the city struggled with heavy rainfall and widespread disruption.

The chief minister urged citizens to stay indoors, noting that more downpours were forecast and the holiday was aimed at sparing residents additional hardship.

Read more: Sindh announces public holiday in Karachi for Wednesday

According to an official notification issued by the Commissioner’s office, the Sindh government declared August 20 a holiday in the Karachi Division, excluding essential services, due to ongoing monsoon rains and the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s advisory of further widespread showers.

Power supply update

Following the heavy monsoon rains, K-Electric’s generation, transmission and distribution system remains stable, with electricity being supplied across the city through approximately 2,000 feeders, the company’s spokesperson said.

Restoration work is underway in affected areas as soon as standing rainwater recedes and ground teams issue safety clearance, the spokesperson added.

The areas where supply has been restored include Saima Pari Centre in Surjani Town, KDA Apartments, Hill View Apartments, North Nazimabad Blocks A, C, D, I, J, K, R and S, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 10-A, Murtaza Chowrangi, Sector 21 and Sector 29 in Korangi, as well as Khayaban-e-Shamsheer, Khayaban-e-Shaheen, Gizri Boulevard and Commercial Streets 1 to 4 in Defence.

Power supply has also been restored to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Road, Khalid Bin Waleed Road, PECHS Blocks 2 and 3, PIB, Nafeesabad and Iqbal Colony.

The spokesperson said K-Electric’s management and staff remain fully engaged and in continuous coordination with the city administration.

Citizens have been urged to observe safety precautions, stay away from electrical infrastructure and poles, and exercise caution when using electrical appliances.

For complaints, consumers can contact the 118 call centre or reach out through K-Electric’s social media platforms.

Internet connectivity

A significant internet disruption hit Pakistan on Tuesday evening, severely impacting connectivity nationwide. According to the global internet observatory NetBlocks, national internet access dropped to just 20% of normal levels.

Also read: Internet outage hits Pakistan as connectivity drops to 20%

“Metrics show a major disruption to internet connectivity across Pakistan with high impact to backbone operator PTCL; overall national connectivity is down to 20% of ordinary levels,” NetBlocks reported in a post on X.