Five people dead as gusty winds hit Karachi

KARACHI: At least five people were killed and several others injured due to structural damages in the city on Friday when strong winds started blowing under the influence of Westerly Disturbance that has entered the country from neighboring Iran and presently prevailing in Balochistan and adjoining Sindh, officials said.

The winds would also herald a cold wave in Karachi where the temperatures have been forecast to drop to single digits. Strong winds of 25-30 knots, sometimes gusting at 35 knots, uprooted old trees in different areas of the city, caused damage to properties. In different incidents where walls and roofs collapsed, at least five people were killed. Also three more persons were injured in different parts of the city, who were shifted to nearby health facilities.

“A steep pressure gradient in the region due to the Westerly Disturbance or the weather system caused windy conditions in Karachi where strong winds gusting at a maximum speed of 40 knots were recorded.

Their speed reduced to 20-25 knots in the evening but they would continue even on Saturday’s first half between 15-20 knots,” said Sardar Sarfaraz, Chief Meteorological Officer (CMO), Sindh, while talking to The News on Friday.

Gusty winds at high speed created a dust-storm like situation and under the influence of strong winds, several weak and loose structures collapsed, causing injuries to people. Several cars and motorcycles were also damaged due to falling trees and other structures.

The Met Department official maintained that there was no possibility of rain in Karachi under the influence of the Westerly Disturbance, however, upper parts of the Sindh province may receive light rain.

However, upper parts of the country, including Punjab, were expected to receive heavy rains while snowfall was expected on the mountains. The CMO, however, said that a cold wave was likely to grip Karachi from Saturday where the city’s night temperature could drop between 8-10 degrees Celsius and added that the cold wave will continue till January 25, 2022.

Meanwhile, as many as five people, including two children, lost their lives while three others were injured after strong winds caused roofs and walls in several areas to collapse. Several trees and electric poles also fell down due to the storm.

The roof of an under-construction building collapsed on 55-year-old Faqir Hussain, son of Manzoor Hussain, claiming his life, near Gulbai Flyover within the limits of SITE B Section police station.

Similarly, an elderly man identified as Ratan, son of Bagh, died after a wall of a library fell on him in North Nazimabad within the jurisdiction of Taimuria police station.

In another incident, a minor boy identified as seven-year-old Abdur Rehman, son of Mehboob Ali, died after a wall of a house collapsed in Gulshan-e-Kanzeez Fatima Society in Surjani Town police remits. In Orangi Town, a five-year-old boy, identified as Farman, son of Shamsuddin, was wounded after a wall in Raja Tanvir Colony within the remits of Iqbal Market police station collapsed on him. Another man, who is yet to be identified, died after the roof of a house collapsed on him in the Anwar Murree Goth within the limits of Gulshan-e-Maymar police station.

Meanwhile, 55-year-old Abdul Ghafoor, his wife Hameeda, 50, and Humaira, 18, wife of Abdur Rauf, were injured after the roof of their house collapsed on them in Mawatch Goth within the limits of Mochko police station. The victims were taken to a private hospital for treatment.