KARACHI, August 31 (TNS): At least 11 people have been killed so far, mostly from electrocution, in Karachi as monsoon rains continued to lash the city on Thursday, Edhi officials said.
Commuters faced difficulties reaching offices while majority of schools remained closed as the rain, which started late Wednesday night, flooded roads of the metropolis.
Many areas in the city — including North Nazimabad, North Karachi, Orangi, Malir, Drigh Road, and NIPA — are submerged because of the heavy rains while some bridges have turned into virtual swimming pools. Most rain in the city has been recorded in North Karachi at 97 millimeters.
Gujjar Nala area, where the city government launched an operation to remove illegal construction last year, is also submerged in water.
Earlier on Monday, Mayor Wasim Akhtar had directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s staff to remain alert and ready with all required equipment and machinery to tackle heavy rains.
He had announced that in case of any emergency, people could call the KMC’s rain emergency centres on these numbers: 0332-2685090, 0335-7553976 and 1339.
According to K-Electric (KE), 80 out of 1,600 feeders were affected up until noon. “Some feeders have been switched off in view of safety concerns in areas with waterlogging, and restoration work will be expedited in affected areas as soon as standing water is wiped out,” said Sadia Dada, KE’s director marketing and communication.
Customers can register queries/complaints on 118 or 99000, and through KE’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Windstorms and rains are expected to lash scattered places in Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana and Shaheed Benazir-abad, etc) and Punjab (Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, etc), besides parts of Balochistan and upper parts of the country — Hazara, Peshawar, Malakand and Sargodha divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
The Sindh government had issued a weather warning on Tuesday, anticipating heavy rains, in which it directed all district disaster management authorities, commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure that all precautionary measures are taken to avoid any untoward situation as well adopt an effective response mechanism, including issuing an early warning for flash floods.
The direction, through a “most urgent” letter, was issued in connection with a weather warning issued by the Met Department.
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