The second spell of rains in less than a week in Karachi powered by thunderstorm claimed 47 lives, including five of a family, and injured over 150 while causing widespread human suffering and exposing city's fragile civic infrastructure.
Heavy rains caused power outages on a large scale, plunging the city deeper into darkness. A mother and her four children were killed, as the roof of the house collapsed on them in Punjab Colony. Five persons were killed due to falling advertising signs at Kalaboard, Hasan Square, Akhtar Colony, Kala Pul and Sarwar Shaheed Road.
At least 18 persons were killed in rain-related incidents in Gadap Town during downpour, according to Town Nazim Gadap. As many as 12 persons were killed under collapsed walls and roofs in Baldia Town, Gadap, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Nazimabad, Lyari, Orangi Town and other localities of the city.
Two children were electrocuted near Spencer Eye Hospital in Lyari due to snapped KESC cables. The deceased were identified as Chandi (7) and Aventi (12). While one girl was killed in a rain related road accident in Sohrab Goth. According to Meteorological Department, strong and high winds arising from North-West and North-East resulted in heavy rains coupled with thunderstorm in Sindh and Balochistan.
Scores of signboards, electricity wires and shades of shops fell in Karachi due to dust storm and heavy rains. This also damaged a large number of vehicles and buildings. Many trees were also uprooted. Water accumulated on roads caused severe traffic jams on M.A Jinnah Road and Shahrah-e-Faisal. Over 50 percent of the city plunged into darkness, as 35 power grid stations were shutdown. It may be mentioned here that all the KESC Helpline were out of order and no staff was available at the complaint centres.
The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has declared emergency to deal with the situation and cancelled the leaves of the concerned staff. Meteorological department has forecast partly cloudy, to cloudy weather with chances of dust storm, rain during the next 24 hours. Temperature will be in the range of 41 degree centigrade to 43 degree centigrade.
Storm wind speed at 60 nautical miles was recorded. Maximum temperature on Saturday was recorded at 44.3 degree centigrade and minimum temperature 31 degree centigrade, while humidity in the air remained 78 percent. Met office recorded rain 16 mm at Masroor Airbase, 17.2 mm at Karachi Airport and 3 mm at New Karachi observatory.
Due to collapse of communication system, Met Office observatories rain measurement could not be ascertained, the Met office official said.
APP ADDS: The thunderstorm has played havoc in the metropolis, uprooting large bill board and old trees and killing at least 25 people, half of them females and children while injuring over 90. Police, Edhi Ambulance and Hospital sources said Saturday that most of them crushed under falling billboards, trees, building and walls while few of them died of electrocution in the city.
MLO JPMC Seemi Jamali said that 130 persons came with rain-related injuries. Abbasi Shaheed handled five rain related deaths, three of them were women while Civil Hospital attended seven casualty cases including two women.
Several main roads including Sharea Faisal, Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road were blocked due to collapse of large bill boards and uprooting of trees.
Almost all the roundabout were blocked for traffic in the city after the rainfall and commuters faced severe traffic jams for at least one hour. However, earthmoving equipment of various towns administration reached the scene and removed fallen trees and bill boards. That helped in allowing the flow of traffic but at a snail pace.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has asked Karachiites to remain in their homes as broken live wire of KESC were causing deaths. Do not go out unless in an emergency, he added. He said the falling billboards and trees have caused so many deaths in the city.
The rainwater was stagnated as usual on main roads, causing traffic jams. Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) discontinued the power supply soon after the first drop of rainfall in the city. According to a survey, most parts of the city are without power for the last several hours as people are staying outside their houses in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, old city areas, Burns Road, Tariq Road.
A KESC official said that the electric poles have fallen in the several areas of the city due to thunderstorm, causing breakdown in power supply. He said that an effort was on for repair of these wires so that power supply is resumed to these areas.