Five electrocuted as rain wreaks havoc in Karachi again

Power goes out in most parts of the city, massive traffic gridlocks on major roads

Karachi

Five people died of electrocution during rainfall in the city on Friday. Karachi received light to moderate rainfall, which started in the evening and continued till night in intervals. Citizens not only had to put up with prolonged power outages, but also suffered in massive traffic jams at almost every major thoroughfares of the metropolis.

The body of a man in his 20s was brought to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital from Hussainabad. He was electrocuted after a live wire fell on him during rainfall.

The body of Owais, 16, who had died in a similar manner, was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from 500 Quarters, Labour Square, Landhi.

The body of Sanaullah, 16, was shifted to ASH. He too was electrocuted. His family told doctors that he was trying to start the motor-pumping machine during rainfall when he received an electric shock. Sanaullah was a resident of Jumma Goth near Sohrab Goth.

Two people died of electrocution on Khadda Market Lyari and Gulistan-e-Jauhar too.

The highest amount of rainfall was reported in Landhi, which received 35 millimetres of rain, Gulshan-e-Hadeed and Jinnah Terminal received 14mm rain, 13mm was reported on Sharea Faisal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Saddar received 12.2mm, the model observatory in Pehlwan Goth received 11.7mm, North Karachi received 9.2mm rain and 7mm rainfall was reported in PAF Base Masroor.

More rainfall expected

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said there were chances of cloudy weather with rainfall in the city on Saturday (today). The maximum temperature will remain between 32 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius.

On Friday, the PMD office reported 27.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperate in the city and the maximum was recorded at 33 degrees Celsius. The humidity was 72 percent.

Power situation

Power went out in most parts of the city as soon as the rain started and electricity to several areas was still suspended by the time this report was filed. The K-Electric said extra high-tension lines tripped because of rain suspending supply to Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Garden, Clifton, Defence, Dhabeji, Saddar and their surrounding areas. Sources said around 400 feeders went off-line and KE teams were unable to restore power till late night in most areas. 

Traffic gridlocks

Commuters were stuck on the major roads of the city in massive gridlocks for hours.

A commuter told The News that he lived in Malir Cantonment Board and it took him two hours from MA Jinnah Road to reach home. Another citizen said it took him two hours to reach at his home in Liaquatabad from Saddar. Massive traffic jams were seen on Sharea Faisal, Nipa, University Road, Brookes Chowrangi, Hasan Square, II Chundrigar Road, MA Jinnah Road, and Sharea Pakistan because of rainwater accumulated there.

Rain emergency

Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan met with the new Sindh chief minister, Murad Ali Shah, at the Governor’s House on Friday and it was decided to declare a rain emergency throughout the province for lessening the hardships of citizens and speedy drainage of accumulated rainwater in view of the expected torrential rains.

Ebad and Shah discussed the current political situation of the province, the progress of the under-construction development projects, the condition of the city in the aftermath of rain, and other matters related to governance.

They expressed the resolve to continue the ongoing operation against terrorists and other criminals in Karachi till peace was fully was completely restored.