Several areas of Karachi received rain showers with lightning and thunder on Sunday. The traffic police were mobilised to prevent any accidents on the slippery roads of the city due to the weather situation.
The areas that received the showers included Mauripur, North Karachi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, its surrounding areas, Saddar, Soldier Bazaar, the airport and Clifton. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said Surjani received the most rain, which was recorded at 26mm there.
Nazimabad received 21.2mm, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 20mm, the Faisal Base 17mm, the Masroor Base and Keamari 16mm, North Karachi and Saadi Town 15mm, University Road 14.5mm, Orangi Town 14.4mm, the old airport 11.9mm and the Jinnah Terminal 1.2mm.
Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the city administration had completed its preparation to deal with the rain. He said the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation’s (KWSC) machinery was sent to different areas.
Wahab said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is also cleaning the storm water drains. He said the KMC staff’s weekly off had already been suspended. All the departments are on board, he added.
The Sindh government had already issued a high alert for all the municipalities, administrative bodies and hospitals across the province. Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah had instructed all the relevant authorities to remain on high alert during the expected rain.
Addressing all the commissioners and deputy commissioners, Shah stressed ensuring the effective drainage of rainwater from the major thoroughfares and the low-lying areas. He had directed the KWSC, K-Electric and the cantonment boards to stay prepared to handle any emergencies.
He had urged the installation of dewatering pumps on key roads, and emphasised the completion of all the necessary arrangements in the districts to tackle any exigencies. On the other hand, under the supervision of Demolition Director Abdul Sajjad Khan, a rain emergency centre was established at the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).
SBCA Director General Abdul Rasheed Solangi said that the emergency centre’s technical staff would be on duty in shifts of 24 hours to manage any emergent situations, adding that the staff’s leave had been cancelled. He said a campaign was also initiated to vacate the residents of 515 dilapidated and dangerous buildings.
The KWSC had deployed all of its suction machines, dewatering pumps and other machinery across the city ahead of the rain on the orders of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the mayor and the CS.
The KWSC spokesperson said their administrative team had already dispatched all suction machines and dewatering pumps with other machinery to various important locations in the city.
They included major roads and areas such as Deep Hotel Metro, Governor House, Muslim Gymkhana, Merewether Tower, Bilawal Chowrangi, Jinnah Airport, Arts Council Chowrangi, PC Hotel, 26 Street, Jinnah Hospital, Nursery, Gora Qabristan, Baloch Colony, FTC Flyover, University Road, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, CM House and MA Jinnah Road.
The spokesperson said KWSC Chief Engineer Assadullah Khan inspected the drainage work in various areas. He said the drainage work would continue until its completion.
He also said the KWSC’s vehicles and personnel would remain on the roads. The drainage work would continue without interruption, and the KWSC staff will remain assigned throughout the night to provide timely drainage services, he added.
The spokesperson said the KWSC staff is deployed in shifts to ensure relief services. He said that in anticipation of further rains, emergency measures would remain in place at the KWSC.
KE said in their press statement that electricity supply remained stable during the intermittent showers throughout the day, and that their teams continued to monitor the situation, maintaining contact with key government departments, the PMD and the city administration, with the field teams remaining available to address any faults.
The KE spokesperson said that over 1,900 of the almost 2,100 feeders of the power company responsible for supplying electricity remained fully energised at any given time.
In accordance with emergency safety protocols, power supply to low-lying areas with a risk of waterlogging and those with a high prevalence of illegal connections was temporarily suspended. These areas have also been gradually re-energised after receiving clearance from field teams.
