The fresh spell of rain in Karachi on Tuesday and Wednesday totally shattered the civic infrastructure, leaving four people victim of electrocution and many others pushing their stranded vehicles in knee-deep water on flooded roads of the city.
The rain started on Tuesday night with a light drizzle, but soon turned dense and hostile, damaging the fragile civic infrastructure of Karachi, and causing panic among people. It turned to heavy downpour in the wee hors on Wednesday and continued through the afternoon.
Ashok Kumar, 38, son of Mehak Rajmal, was electrocuted as he stepped into rainwater having electric current in front of National Bank of Pakistan head office, while 35-year old Mohabbat Ali, son of Qaim Ali, faced the same fate in the Boat Basin area.
In New Karachi, an electricity poll gave electric shock, which killed 12-year-old Dua, daughter of Islamud-Din. In another case, Ghulam Abbas, 37, son of Afzal, died after being electrocuted in Jacob Line. Javed Hussain son of Abu Bakkar aged 35, however, was only injured after getting electric shock in his home in Mustafa Colony, Bheem Pura and was taken to civil hospital for treatment.
The ever-present pools of rainwater, mixed with sewage in the aftermath of every spell of rain during the monsoon season were witnessed in various parts of city roads.
The roads from Mereweather Tower to Memon Mosque on M.A Jinnah road and from the Bolton Market to Sindh Madarrastul Islam College on Shahra-e-Liaquat were under knee-deep flood water and the road linking the M.A Jinnah road with Shahra-e-Liaquat was also completely covered with rainwater.
Roads and streets presented picture of small river-like streams which the movement of vehicles very difficult. Bike riders were in great trouble attempting to kick-start their vehicles.
As usual, very a few personnel from Municipal Department of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) were observed draining out the rainwater, while there no one from other agencies like Cantonment Boards, Karachi Port Trust, Pakistan Railway, Pakistan International Airline etc, who claim to be the owner of almost 67 percent lands of Karachi.
Other prominent areas where the Karachiites were observed to be almost swimming in the knee-deep rainwater included Gulshan Chowrangi, Jauhar More, Nipa Chowrangi, University road, Nagan Chowrangi, Business Recorder Road, Empress Market, Lines Area, Regal Chawk, Electronics Market, Cantt Station, Haidery, Five Star Chowrangi, Board Office, UP More, Kala School, Power House Chowrangi, Qasba Colony, Banaras Chowk, Sindhi Hotel Liaquat Abad, Teen Hatti, Liaquat Abad No 10, Garden road, Hussain Bakhsh road etc.
The worst could be observed in Union Councils (UC) 1 and 3 of the Keamari Town where the civic infrastructure was in a total mess as negligence of the Town Administration coupled with continued rains have left the roads badly broken, sewerage system failed with gutters overflowing and utility cables lying in the middle of roads long awaiting installation.
Meanwhile, on the bombastic front, City Nazim Mustafa Kamal paid a rare visit to the city's old areas including Kharadar, Methadar, Kapra Market, Fish Market, Meriweather Tower, I.I Chundrigar road and other areas adjacent to the M.A Jinnah road.
The nazim, accompanied by engineers and other officials from the municipal department, issued various directives to the concerned departments in connection with the clearance of storm-water drains with special emphasis on improvements in the drainage system on permanent basis in the said areas.
He also directed that for the time being a small nullah from the Mereweather Tower should be linked with the newly constructed I.I Chundrigar road nullah while starting work on constructing pre-cost nullahs in the affected areas to drain out the rainwater.
He termed the ever-increasing encroachments on both sides of the roads and on the major storm-water nullahs as major reasons for traffic jams and standing rainwater in various parts of the metropolis.
With immediate restoration and reconstruction of the city station nullah all encroachments should also be removed from the drain, he directed. The Meteorological Department, however, has forecast partly cloudy weather with chances of rains and thunderstorm during next 24 hours in the city. Minimum temperature on Wednesday was recorded 24 degrees centigrade and maximum temperature 29.5 degrees centigrade, while humidity in the air remained 78 percent.
Rain was recorded at various places in the city since Tuesday evening till Wednesday 8:00 pm as follows: 75.2 mm at Karachi Airport, 77 mm at Masroor Air Base, 68.5 mm in North Karachi.
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