(Karachi) With heavy rains lashing the port city on Thursday, several houses were flooded with rainwater in different areas while people waded through chest-deep water in the streets. There was water-logging not only in the low-lying vicinities but also in posh areas, including Defence Housing Authority.
Besides, five people lost their lives in different rain-related incidents.
As per details, the metropolis witnessed a heavy monsoon downpour which intensified in the afternoon, throwing normal life out of gear. The city administration miserably failed to drain out water from the streets resulting in chaotic situation.
Residents of Karachi uploaded several videos on social media showing the damage caused by rainwater that flooded their homes and streets after severe monsoon spell.
In different areas of DHA, including Phase-IV and Phase-VI, chest-deep water had accumulated in the houses damaging furniture and other stuff. Cars were floating in the streets as water level rose due to choked drains.
Similarly, commuters were stranded on Sharah-e-Faisal after both tracks of the artery were filled with knee-deep rainwater creating immense hardship for them. A police mobile also broke down at Nursery after getting stuck during heavy downpour. People rescued the cops from the vehicle after water gushed into the cabin and engine bay.
Same was the situation at I.I. Chundrigar Road, Landhi and Jail Chowrangi where motorcyclists and vehicles got trapped in accumulated water. The citizens of the city were shocked to see huge containers floating in rainwater that inundated MA Jinnah Road.
Karachi received more than 300 millimeters of rainfall during the 24-hour period bringing city life to a standstill. The rain again exposed the claims made by the district administration about making sufficient arrangement for preventing water-logging.
At least five people were killed in various rain-related incidents in Karachi, taking the total number 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.
Personnel of Pakistan Navy recovered the bodies of two persons from Shah Faisal Town and Korangi Crossing areas, which were handed over to their relatives.
Similarly, 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.
The Sindh government has already declared a rain emergency in the province. According to the official statement, the leaves of all government department employees have been cancelled and those who are already on leave have been asked to report to their relevant department at the earliest.
The Met Office stated that the current monsoon spell has weakened and the system is moving in a south-westerly direction towards Hub and Balochistan. Due to the effects of the system, certain areas of the city can receive heavy rainfall, it said.