At least eight killed as rain lashes Karachi, other Sindh cities

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–Govt and private schools across the province will remain closed on Tuesday

 

KARACHI: At least eight people, including an 11-year-old girl, lost their lives due to electrocution as heavy rain lashed Karachi and other parts of Sindh on Monday.

According to rescue sources, the deaths took place in the Paposh Nagar area of karachi where two people were electrocuted, raising the number of casualties from rain-related accidents in Karachi to six.

A weather advisory issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department on July 25 had stated that widespread rains and wind-thunderstorms were expected from Sunday to Tuesday in Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Karachi, Shaheed Benazirabad, Kalat and Makran divisions.

In Sukkur, Larkana, Zhob, Sibbi and Naseerabad divisions, scattered rains and wind-thunderstorms with isolated moderate to heavy rainfall were expected.

Additionally, isolated heavy rainfall was expected in lower Sindh (Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Karachi divisions) and Kalat and Makran divisions on Monday and Tuesday.

“Heavy falls may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Thatta and Hyderabad divisions on Monday and Tuesday, while flash flooding [may occur] in Kalat, Sibbi, Zhob divisions during the period,” the advisory added.

KARACHI RAIN:

Inspector General of Police Sindh Syed Kaleem Imam directed officials to stay vigilant and ensure that citizens are safely rescued in case of emergencies. He also instructed the police force to oversee relief efforts.

Parts of the city also experienced power outages including various courts such as the Supreme Court Karachi registry, the Sindh High Court and accountability courts. This affected court proceedings resulting in most hearings being rescheduled.

In a post shared on Twitter, K-Electric said that the power supply situation was normal in most areas, while supply to a few parts of Gadap, Baldia Town, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Korangi had been affected due to heavy rainfall.

According to a spokesperson for the K-Electric, electricity had been restored fully or partially in North Karachi Sector 11, Nagan Chowrangi, Nipa, Block 19 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Airport, Nazimabad Block 5, Punjab Chowrangi, Akthar Colony, Dohraji, Bahadurabad, Tariq Road, Hassan Square and the Saddar Lucky Star area. Work is underway to restore power in affected parts of Baldia, Landhi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Federal B. Area.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called Secretary Energy Musadiq Khan and directed him to ensure that power is restored in areas that are facing breakdowns.

Power supply to important installations including the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has not been affected, he said.

The spokesperson asked city dwellers to stay away from electrical wires and poles due to rain.

Ahead of the rain, civic bodies in Karachi were put on high alert on Saturday and vacations of all employees were cancelled.

Meanwhile, Sindh Secretary for Education Qazi Shahid Pervez issued a notification, announcing that government and private schools across the province will remain closed on Tuesday.

District officials have also been instructed to ensure that water is drained from school buildings.

HYDERABAD:

A heavy downpour caused flooding in various parts of Hyderabad including Latifabad and Qasimabad. Rainwater accumulated in all low-lying areas and on main arteries of the city.

The rain that had started at 3am continued intermittently till noon. Attendance at offices was low and traffic disappeared from roads while the Shahbaz Building, known as the local Sindh government secretariat, remained submerged.

Hyderabad also experienced a widespread power breakdown. The main pumping stations of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) remained shut or ran on generators.

Following the power breakdown, Hyderabad division Commissioner Abbas Baloch spoke to the Hesco chief and others in order to restore the electricity supply.

Baloch said that the Hesco chief was asked to ensure power supply to the feeders that supply power to Wasa’s pumping stations, adding that the Hesco official had assured that this would be done.

The abandoned Wadhu Wah (canal) received sewage from Qasimabad and was overflowing since the morning. A passage was being created in order to release the water to a nearby ground. Flooding was also reported in Latifabad, City Cloth Market area, Liaquat Colony, Fatima Jinnah Road, Station Road, Hyder Chowk, Railway Station area, parts of Qasimabad, Tulsi Das Road, Hali Road, Qadamgah Moula Ali and Sarfraz Colony.