Death toll reaches 22 as three more die in rain-related incidents

Karachi

With three more people reported to have died in rain-related incidents in the city, the death toll during the three days of rain climbed to 22 on Sunday.

Eighteen-year-old Arif Naseem, son of Muhammad Naseem, died of electrocution near his Bhattiabad residence situated within the ambit of Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station, when he touched an electric pole during rainfall.

Six-year-old Muhammad Mubeen, son of Muhammad Yaseen, was killed due to electrocution when a live wire fell on him while he was playing outside his Baldia Town residence, situated within the jurisdiction of the Mochko police station. The body of Shahadat, 18, son of Muhammad Mustafa, was found floating in the Malir river, near Jumma Goth.

According to his neighbours he had gone out for swimming but drowned owing to the strong current of the waves.

His body was taken to the JPMC for medico-legal formalities.

According to police the deceased was a resident of the Jumma Goth and had gone for a swim.

Fourteen people were reported to have died in rain-related incidents in the metropolis on Saturday, taking the total death toll in the two days of rainfall to 19.

The rainfall that started in the city on Friday continued throughout the day in intervals in different parts of the metropolis on Saturday while the citizens had to put up with power breakdowns on the second day of the rain as well.

The rainfall again exposed Karachi’s poor management as many roads and streets remained inundated till today.

The K-Electric’s poor distribution system too was exposed as citizens had to put up with power outages both on Friday and Saturday, while it took several hours for the KMC to drain rainwater and from both underpasses of Nazimabad.

Rainwater accumulated in several low-lying areas including Urdu Bazaar and Saddar causing massive traffic jams. In many areas of the city, rainwater mixed with sewage and several localities were flooded with filth.