Rain causes more mess as authorities scramble to clean up

Under the influence of a strong monsoon system, different areas of Karachi received light to moderate showers on Monday, resulting in the inundation of roads, while some city areas received heavy showers, said the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

Sindh’s chief meteorological officer, Dr Sardar Sarfaraz, said that the highest amount of rain was recorded at 65.5mm in Surjani Town, followed by 34.5mm in Gulshan-e-Maymar. “This monsoonal system is expected to remain active till Tuesday evening and cause light to moderate showers in the city.”

PMD data shows that North Karachi received 23.8mm of rain, Orangi Town 16.4mm, the Met Office (University Road) 15mm, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 13mm, Nazimabad 12.3mm, the Jinnah Terminal 7.8mm and the old airport area 5.8mm, while other localities received less than 3mm of rain.

Dr Sarfaraz said that as the rain-causing system is active in Sindh and Balochistan, different areas of Karachi can receive light to moderate showers in the early hours of Tuesday, while light to moderate showers with occasional heavy falls can also be expected until evening.

Rain aftermath

District Central of Karachi flooded again after Monday’s rain, while traffic movement remained affected until at least 9pm in different localities falling within the district.

A storm water drain at 4K Chowrangi, Power House Chowrangi, UP Morr and Nagan Chowrangi overflowed and inundated the thoroughfare connecting the roundabout with Do Minute Chowrangi and Nagan Chowrangi. The city administration, however, deployed pumps and tractors to drain the water, which took hours to complete.

A car fell inside a nullah in Shadman Town near Nagan Chowrangi. A sewerage line reportedly overflowed again at Nagan Chowrangi, due to which sewage mixed with the rainwater and worsened the situation. Knee-deep water accumulated at Nagan Chowrangi. Several cars and motorbikes broke down on the flooded roads.

Peoples Chowrangi near Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi was inundated with rainwater. Roads leading to Naya Nazimabad were also flooded with rainwater. Roads of North Nazimabad, Hyderi and Nazimabad presented the same scenario. Rainwater gathered at Sohrab Goth towards Shafiq Morr, halting the movement of traffic for hours.

Rainwater mixed with sewage inundated the main National Highway at the Wireless Gate near Toyota Chowrangi, halting the movement of traffic until 8pm. Rainwater also gathered on the Quaidabad flyover at Dawood Chowrangi. The situation caused the movement of traffic to stop during rush hour.

Mayor’s updates

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab tweeted that the Tariq Road underpass was clear and open for traffic. He also tweeted that Liaquatabad’s Shuhada-e-Haq underpass and the Amjad Fareed Sabri Shaheed underpass were all cleared for traffic.

Around 7pm he tweeted that the Surjani Town and 4K Chowrangi situation was under control and water had been drained. He also tweeted around 7pm that the water at Nagan Chowrangi had been drained, but the residents said that the situation was bad until at least 9pm.

As for UP Morr, the mayor tweeted that there was water around the area of UP Morr Road, which was being drained through the nullah that was flowing at full capacity. He said that machinery was present on ground along with municipal staff, and that traffic was moving.

Power situation

The K-Electric spokesperson said that power supply to the city remained stable during Monday’s rain spell. “As intermittent showers are forecast, citizens are advised to prioritise and practice safety and other necessary precautions.”

The spokesperson said that designated teams are vigilant and actively monitoring the weather forecasts, and they are on standby to address any eventuality. “KE teams are also in touch with the relevant departments to quickly address any faults and ensure a smooth supply.”

As intermittent rain has been forecast for the next few days, it is important to follow safety precautions, added the spokesperson. “Citizens are advised to keep a safe distance from electrical installations, including utility poles and transformers.”

The spokesperson warned that illegal connections and unauthorized TV or internet cables also pose significant safety risks, pointing out that they are known hazards during rainy season.