Can Karachi deal with a possible deluge this monsoon?

Every year, with the start of the monsoon season, apprehension grips Karachi’s residents. Even though rains symbolise life and the blooming of flowers, the locals view them differently.

The 2020 monsoon season saw the city flooded with rainwater, leaving people stranded at work, or stuck at home or in traffic jams, with the streets and roads hardly visible. The financial artery of the metropolis looked like Venice, with water swooping in from all directions.

Some things are preventable, but the wrath of nature can wipe everything clean: Hurricane Katrina of 2005 and Super Typhoon Haiyan of 2013 not only destroyed the infrastructure but also claimed thousands of lives.

The main reason for unprecedented rainfall is the effects of climate change. Pakistan has been declared the fifth most vulnerable country to face the dire consequences of climate change.

Karachi, which stands below sea level, is a coastal belt that bears the brunt of nature’s fury. In 2022 the city received 60mm of rain in a single day — a 260 per cent increase in precipitation.

Initially an arid land, Karachi falls in the tropical climate zone, but usually has a drier weather compared to other tropical areas. However, when it rains here, it pours.

A victim of climate change and population explosion, the city is being served by an old drainage system, which is mostly clogged due to garbage, with the outfalls facing the same problem, resulting in suffering for the residents.

When Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab was the city administrator, The New York Times had quoted him as saying that the city was not ready for such a heavy deluge as the sewerage system was very old.

Given the severity of the situation, the Sindh government had undertaken the task of restoring some semblance of normalcy in the city that was submerged by water.

Compared to the rest of the metropolis, DHA fared a bit better, but it does not mean that there was no water in and around the low-lying areas.

Areas like Nishat Commercial, Badar Commercial and Phase II were flooded by rainwater. However, with the help of dewatering pumps, the DHA administration managed to drain the water.

This is what led to the Storm Water Drain Project, which began in September 2022. It focuses on building and expanding the drainage system extensively.

Most of the work has been completed, with dewatering pumps (58 in all) dealing with different cusecs of water on standby, fire brigades on high alert, and ambulances and relief camps on standby.

DHA seems to be prepared for monsoon. What little one could gather about their preparedness was witnessed during the unpredicted rain on March 1, showing that the low-lying areas were not affected as in 2022.

The task is immense, but only the monsoon rains can give a clearer picture of how well the entire city can deal with a possible deluge. One can only hope for the best for Karachi.