Routine life disrupted as monsoon rain continues lashing Karachi

Monsoon rains continued lashing Karachi on the third consecutive day on Saturday, causing the accumulation of water in low-lying areas and disruption in the routine life of the residents.

II Chundrigar Road, Saddar, Lyari, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, DHA, Clifton, Tariq Road and North Nazimabad were among the localities where moderate to heavy rain was reported. Traffic disruption on major roads was also observed.

According to the data released by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Surjani Town and Saadi Town received the highest amount of rain in the city on Saturday. Surjani Town recorded 58.2mm of rain, followed by Saadi Town recording 47.5mm. Other areas that received a significant downpour included Gulshan-e-Maymar (37.4mm) and Gulshan-e-Hadeed (37mm).

The Met Office on University Road reported 24mm, while the PAF Base Faisal on Sharea Faisal received 31mm. North Karachi (29.8mm) and the Jinnah Terminal (29.2mm) also received considerable rain. DHA Phase VII recorded 25.5mm, and Korangi received 25.2mm.

Nazimabad received 20.5mm, while Orangi Town recorded 19.4mm. Keamari, the old area of the airport, and the PAF Base Masroor received between 10mm and 18mm. Bahria Town, on the outskirts of the city, received 6.3mm.

The rain, which intensified from the afternoon into the evening, caused difficulties for commuters, particularly in areas prone to flooding. The PMD has advised residents to stay alert, as more rain is expected in the coming days.

Water shortage

A major power breakdown at the Dhabeji Pumping Station severely disrupted water supply to multiple areas of the city, with two major pumps at the K-III Pump House being rendered non-functional for over 48 hours, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) spokesperson confirmed on Saturday.

The power failure around 10pm on June 26 affected both the K-II and K-III pump houses, but K-Electric has restored power supply only to K-II, leaving K-III still partially offline. As a result, two main pumps at K-III remain shut down.

The extended outage has led to a significant shortfall in the city’s water supply. “Karachi has faced a deficit of 185 million gallons of water in the past 48 hours,” said the KWSC spokesperson.

He said that key areas, including Nazimabad, New Karachi, Korangi and Landhi, are among the most affected. Despite continuous contact between KWSC officials and the KE management, the fault has not been fully resolved, resulting in continued disruptions to pumping operations from Dhabeji, the city’s primary water supply source.

The KWSC has urged KE to resolve the issue on an urgent basis, warning that any further delay could intensify the water crisis in the already water-stressed metropolis.

‘Stable’ power supply

KE said that under the ongoing monsoon spell, the city continued to receive rain on Saturday, accompanied by strong winds. Despite moderate to heavy showers across the city and its outskirts, the overall power supply system remained largely stable, according to the power utility.

Out of more than 2,100 feeders in the city, over 1,800 remained fully functional without disruption on the second consecutive day of rain. In the last 24 hours, around 300 feeders from KE’s extensive network were temporarily affected, most of which were swiftly restored, once safety clearance was received by the field teams.

Field teams remained deployed across the city round the clock to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. “As a safety measure, KE temporarily suspended electricity in a few low-lying areas, and circuits where the risk of electricity theft through illegal kunda connections is high,” said KE spokesperson Imran Rana.

Rana said that as soon as weather conditions improved, restoration work began immediately, with field staff working tirelessly to bring the affected areas back online.

He said KE’s operational teams are actively monitoring both weather and power supply situations from a central control point, while the company’s management is in close coordination with civic agencies and the city administration to ensure timely and effective responses during the changing weather conditions.

“We urge residents to exercise caution around electrical infrastructure. Please stay away from sagging TV and internet cables, tangled wires, street light poles and wet switches to stay safe during and after the rain.”

In case of any electricity-related emergencies, consumers can contact KE’s 118 call centre. For individual power supply complaints, customers can also reach out through the KE website, the KE Live app, WhatsApp and other official social media platforms.

‘Under control’

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited various parts of the city following the intermittent monsoon rain, overseeing drainage operations and monitoring the performance of civic agencies.

Wahab said that all local government representatives, staff and machinery are on the ground to prevent inconvenience to residents, and prompt action is being taken wherever complaints are received.

Speaking during his inspection tour, he said that the overall situation in the city is under control, and that all institutions are working actively to ensure that residents do not face any serious problems.

He said he had been out in the field since early morning, when the rain began, visiting different neighbourhoods. He inspected drainage efforts in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karsaz, Nipa, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Nursery, Saddar, Gizri, Glass Tower, Machhar Colony, Guru Mandir, Soldier Bazaar, Shahrah-e-Pakistan, District Central, Nagan Chowrangi, Gulberg, Landi Kotal, Qalandria Chowk, Sakhi Hassan and Incholi areas.

He reviewed the cleaning of storm water drains, the use of dewatering pumps, and the mobilisation of manual labour to remove accumulated water. At Gizri he took immediate notice of sewerage issues, and directed the relevant departments to take prompt measures.

At Sakhi Hassan he ordered the clearance of choked points in the main drain, while at Nagan Chowrangi and other locations he instructed the staff to swiftly remove barriers hindering the flow of rainwater.

He said the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, the KWSC and other relevant institutions are in constant coordination, and public complaints are being addressed promptly. He also urged residents to avoid using plastic bags, noting that they are a major cause of drain blockages and hinder smooth drainage. He acknowledged difficulties in Lyari due to a temporary power outage that hampered drainage operations, but said municipal teams continued the work without interruption by using generators.

He also ordered immediate cleaning and road resurfacing around the Incholi Imambargah, stressing that drainage around all imambargahs and Muharram procession routes be completed promptly. He advised residents to stay away from electrical equipment during rain, and to continue cooperating with the administration.