Rain spells disaster for District South as PMD predicts relief on Eid

Saturday’s rain spell of the first monsoon system turned out to be disastrous for Karachi’s District South. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had already warned of urban flooding with the forecast of heavy showers.

The dilapidated city infrastructure was already on the edge after four days of downpour. After Saturday’s heavy showers, the DHA and Clifton neighbourhoods were completely submerged by rainwater.

The rain triggered a power crisis, damaged the sewerage system and caused hours-long traffic jams on all the major roads in Saddar, DHA and Clifton. The situation was so severe that boats were brought in on II Chundrigar Road, the city’s business hub.

Three to four feet of rainwater accumulated on II Chundrigar Road towards the Tower area. Employees of various offices were stuck inside their respective buildings until rescue boats were arranged to evacuate them. Several cars and motorbikes got stuck in traffic, while many vehicles broke down.

The situation in the Saddar area also spiralled out of control. Various traders lamented how their businesses once again got adversely affected on the eve of Eidul Azha due to the city’s poor infrastructure.

Knee-deep water was present on all the major and minor streets of Saddar, MA Jinnah Road, Kharadar and their adjoining areas. Bolton Market, Motandas Market and Khori Garden were also flooded with rainwater.

A Zainab Market shopkeeper lamented how the traders have been suffering during Eid season for the past three years due to Covid-19 restrictions, inflation and poor infrastructure that cannot even stand a little rain.

Journalist Muhammad Burhan told The News that the roads near the Arts Council and II Chundrigar Road were inundated, so he took alternative routes. “But little did I know that I would have to drag my motorbike for an hour from the State Bank of Pakistan to my office.”

His two-wheeler broke down some five to six times. “I fell into the dirty water thrice. It was one of the most horrific incidents of my life.”

Jumping off a bus on a Saddar road, Husain, who works at the Zainab Market, felt as if he had knowingly exposed himself to risks of either falling into a manhole or getting electrocuted. He had commuted to his office on the last day of work before his Eid holidays.

He regretted his decision because the distance from the bus station to his office is usually a 10-minute walk, but it took him over an over to navigate through the submerged roads. “I wish I’d made a different decision to spare myself so much dread and getting drenched.”

Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab monitored various areas of District South, including II Chundrigar Road and Zainab Market. He said rainwater from various streets had been drained within an hour of their flooding.

The rain forced people to use boats to commute because roads in some of the areas had turned into rivers, while teams of the Pakistan Army had also reached the affected areas to drain the water.

The situation in DHA was miserable. The residents complained how they pay hefty amounts in bills and taxes to the DHA and the Clifton Cantonment Board (CBC), and lamented that they have purchased houses worth millions of rupees just to experience such misery during rains.

DHA Phase-VIII resident Muhammad Shehryar shared how the roads in front of his house were completely submerged. “We have a lot of empty plots here, so that’s the reason the situation didn’t get worse, and the water drained an hour after the rain stopped.”

But other DHA areas, like Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Phase-V, Phase-VI, 26th Street at Badar Commercial and Sehar Commercial, were completely inundated. An Ittehad Commercial resident Irsah shared how they had shifted from North Nazimabad to DHA a few months ago.

“What’s the difference? North Nazimabad used to drown after a little rain. The situation is the same in DHA,” she said, adding that at least they used to get water through the lines some days a week. “In DHA we don’t even get that.”

DHA spokesperson Colonel Kashif told The News that all the machineries of the DHA and the CBC were on ground, along with their labour force.

He said that after the massive rainfall of 2020, they had already identified the low-lying areas of DHA, so they knew where the water would accumulate and they had deployed their machineries at those exact points.

He added that once the rainwater from the major thoroughfares had been drained, they resorted to draining the internal streets, and that several dewatering pumps of the DHA and the CBC were busy in the work.

‘Urban flooding’

PMD officials said the PAF Base Masroor received 59mm of rain, followed by DHA Phase-II (38.2mm). They said that since most areas in District South are low-lying, rainwater and sewage accumulated on the roads, causing and urban flooding-like situation.

“Following this heavy spell, which drowned many areas of District South, there are no more showers expected until July 13 in Karachi. The weather is expected to remain cloudy with light rain or drizzle on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday,” Sindh’s chief meteorologist Dr Sardar Sarfaraz told The News.

Eight more dead

The showers caused more loss to human lives, leaving eight people dead in rain-related incidents in different parts of the city. Police, hospital and rescue services officials said that all the eight people had died of electrocution.

Korangi Industrial Area SHO Inspector Akhlaq Ahmed said that Abdul Khaliq, 28, the owner of a restaurant in Mehran Town, suffered an electric shock when he tried to change a light bulb inside his establishment and died as a result.

In another incident in Korangi, Abdul Rasool, 35, was electrocuted to death. His body was brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that a 30-year-old man, Abdul Ghaffar, was electrocuted in the Swat Colony area of Baldia Town.

Dr Summaiya said that another man, Inayatullah, 22, was electrocuted in Sohrab Goth near Al-Asif Square. She said he was a waiter at a restaurant and was climbing the staircase when he slipped, adding that he tried to stand up by touching a wall with an electric board and died after suffering an electric shock.

A 23-year-old man, Raqeeb, was electrocuted in the Manghopir area. In North Karachi, a 13-year-old boy, Muzammil, died due to electric shock inside his home in Arsalan Homes. In Korangi’s 100 Quarters area, an old man died of an electric shock inside his home.

The Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that a man, Tufail Khan, 32, died during landsliding in Baldia Town’s Abidabad area when a heavy stone hit him. His body was shifted to the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. Dr Summaiya said Khan had been crushed underneath a rock rolling down a hill.

KE’s sympathies

In a press release issued by K-Electric, the power company’s spokesperson expressed sympathies over the unfortunate electrocution incidents across the city, categorically stating that there was no utility infrastructure involved in the regretful accidents.

Reiterating caution amid more forecast for rain, KE requested the citizens to continue maintaining a safe distance from all poles and street lights, especially in the areas with standing water, after the recent heavy rain spell. “Tying of sacrificial animals to poles must also be avoided for their safety.”

Power update

The spokesperson said that various parts of Karachi received moderate to heavy rain on Saturday, causing waterlogging across the city. KE’s network remained stable, while approximately 200 out of 1,900 feeders were affected due to the rain, added the spokesperson.

“Majority of these feeders were powered down temporarily against safety protocols due to the prevalence of Kundas [illegal connections] or waterlogging in the affected areas. These have also been restored. Our teams are active to rectify localised faults as well.” The KE’s CEO visited several of the power company’s locations to take stock of the distribution team’s efforts and appreciated their ongoing commitment to ensure power supply amid tough operating conditions, said the spokesperson. “Waterlogging in the urban centres was affecting operations, and customers in these areas were requested for their patience while the water levels receded to safe levels to resume activity.”

Navy’s flood efforts

The Pakistan Navy’s Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief operations continued in the catastrophe hit areas of Balochistan, adds our correspondent. The navy spokesman said that in the recent heavy monsoon rains and flash floods, they assisted the civil administration by rescuing the locals stranded inside flooded homes and moved them to safer locations.

Thousands of cusecs of water was de-flooded by the navy’s relief teams. The Pakistan Navy troops reached out to far-flung rural areas of Pasni, Winder, Gwadar, Jiwani and the adjoining villages in Balochistan, and distributed the necessary relief commodities.

Hundreds of ration bags, fresh drinking water and household items, including medicines, were provided to the affected areas. More than 500 patients were provided free treatment at the medical camps established by the navy. Pakistan Navy has always remained at the forefront in extending all possible humanitarian assistance during natural calamities. The relief operation in Balochistan is a practical manifestation of the navy’s resolve to extend all-out support to their fellow countrymen in their hour of need.