Karachi rain: CM Murad declares emergency in Sindh after heavy rainfall

KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has declared an emergency in Sindh after heavy rains lashed several cities in the province including Karachi, Murtaza Wahab said Tuesday.

Parts of the metropolis received heavy to light rain today, causing traffic jams and problems for motorcyclists a day after the Meteorological Department (Met Department) warned that the port city may witness urban flooding due to the heavy showers.

Malir, Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Saadi Town, Liaquatabad, Federal B. Area, North Karachi, Surjani Town and North Nazimabad were some of Karachi's areas that received heavy rainfall between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Karachi University road became inundated due to the heavy rain, with rainwater accumulating to a few feet high on the road linking Hassan Square with Safoora Chowrangi.

Sewerage and rainwater entered houses in the Naya Nazimabad and Azizabad Block II areas.

In Azizabad, residents complained that the sewerage lines were already damaged in the area and the heavy rain made it worse. Showers caused landsliding in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block III, leading to several cars being severely damaged in the parking of a residential building.

The situation has worsened in the city's Surjani Town area, with almost 80% of the population in the area forced to relocate to safer places as water entered people's homes.

Left to their own in such difficult times, Surjani Town residents chose to make boats out of drums and wooden planks.

According to authorities, Gulshan-e-Hadeed received 105 mm rain over the past 24 hours whilst Landhi received 45mm of rain.

Landsliding in Gulistan-e-Jauhar

At least 20 cars were crushed due to land sliding in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area as rains wreaked havoc all across Sindh.

According to SSP East Sajid Mir, the land sliding occurred near Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Munawar roundabout. He added that no loss of life was reported in the incident.

SSP Mir said that multiple bikes and cars parked there were damaged as a result of the landslide. He added that the houses nearby have been vacated as a precautionary measure.

Met Department issues urban flooding warning

Pakistan Meteorological Department on Monday said that heavy rainfall will continue in Karachi till Thursday, warning that urban flooding could take place in the city.

In its latest advisory, the PMD said that rains could hit the southern parts of the city from Monday to Wednesday and also upper parts of Sindh from Tuesday to Thursday.

“Rain/wind-thundershowers, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls, are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Tharparker, Nagarparker, Mirpurkhas, Islam Kot, Umar Kot, Sanghar, Sukkur and Larkana from Monday to Wednesday,” it had said.

The department had warned that heavy rainfall may generate urban flooding and waterlogging not only in Karachi but also Hyderabad, Thatta and Badin.