KARACHI: A widespread downpour coupled with thunderstorm and gusty winds struck Karachi Thursday wreaking havoc with the civic life. The Met Office has warned the authorities of urban flooding in Karachi and Hyderabad in next couple of days.
The city roads, underpasses and streets turned into water pools due to overflowing of rain drains and sewage system. Thousands of people got stuck on the roads for hours due to massive gridlock at Sharea Faisal, University Road, Korangi Road, II Chundrigar Road, Jamshed Road and Jail Road, etc.
Various city neighborhoods including those exempted from the schedule load shedding braced hours long power outage due to the rain. The gusty winds uprooted trees.
"Heavy downpour may generate urban flooding in Karachi & Hyderabad on Friday/Saturday. Sea waves at Sindh and Makran Coast will be turbulent during the period. Fishermen should refrain from going to sea. All concerned authorities are advised to remain ALERT during the period," said the PMD in a statement.
The most rain hit areas include Saddar, Lyari, Old City area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Malir, Landhi, Safoora Goth, North Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Korangi DHA, Clifton, Nazimabad and North Karachi, etc.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also issued an advisory and alerted the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and relevant departments ahead of a stronger rain spell.
The fresh rain spell is striking the city at a time when the Prime Minister Imran Khan has already engaged the NDMA and Pak Army to clean up the city drains. NDMA has been working with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) to clear the drains. So far, it has made headway on three major drains-the Gujjar Nullah, Mawach Goth Nullah and Korangi Nullah.
The MeT office recorded rainfall in Saddar 28mm, Faisal Base 23mm, Surjani Town 19mm, Met Complex 13mm, Model Observatory, MOS 12mm, Nazimabad, Jinnah Terminal 09mm, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 07mm, Masroor Base 05mm, and Landhi 01 mm at 8:00PM. However, the heavy rain with thunderstorm was still continuing at parts of the metropolis till filing of this report.
The Chief Minister, keeping in view Met Office advisory has detailed provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants and MPAs to supervise and monitor relief activities in the districts assigned to them from August 6 to 8. He has declared Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah overall Incharge at provincial level. Syed Ghani has been assigned to supervise and monitor relief activities in Karachi East, Rashid Rabbani in West, Murtaza Wahab in South, Shehla Raza in Central, Mukesh Chawla in Korangi and Waqar Mehdi District Malir.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020