First showers of monsoon season flood roads, disrupt power supply in city

KARACHI: Water accumulated on many streets and thoroughfares of Karachi as various localities plunged into darkness as soon as the first rain of the monsoon season lashed the metropolis on Wednesday evening following days of extremely hot and humid weather.

“Karachi has received the first showers of the current monsoon season this [Wednesday] evening under the influence of a rain system that is causing rains in Tharparkar since a day before Eid and caused rains in entire Sindh yesterday [Tuesday].”

The Karachi director for the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Abdur Rashid, told The News: “We are expecting more rains in the metropolis on Wednesday night and the entire Thursday because of the prevailing weather conditions.”

Karachiites were experiencing extremely hot and humid weather since Sunday evening when the sea breeze to the city was cut off due to development of a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of the metropolis, and weather pundits predicted that Karachi would receive the first showers of the monsoon season from Wednesday evening to Friday evening.

“We were expecting rain in Karachi from Wednesday noon, but it started a little late, and we are expecting the intermittent rains and showers until Friday afternoon under the influence of the current weather system,” said the director, adding that it was the start of the monsoon season and more such rain spells were expected in July, August and until mid-September.

The Sindh Building Control Authority also declared an alert regarding old buildings in dilapidated conditions in the Saddar and Lyari towns of the city, although no list of such structures was issued and no steps were taken to vacate them before the rain to protect the lives of the citizens residing in them.

Many parts of the metropolis faced power breakdowns as reportedly dozens of feeders tripped, cables broke and underground cables caught fire as soon as it started raining. Until the filing of this report, dozens of localities across the city remained without electricity.

According to reports gathered after the rain, around 50 to 60 per cent of the metropolis plunged into darkness following the showers, while the power breakdown at the Karachi Airport disrupted the air traffic operations; however, the K-Electric claimed that only 25 per cent of the area was affected.

A spokesman for the power utility confirmed that around 400 feeders had tripped because of the rain, but claimed that many of them were restored and electricity supply to most of the areas had resumed. He said KE field teams had been despatched to restore power in the rest of the city.

People from Gulshan-e-Hadeed in District Malir to Orangi Town in the West district, from Bilal Colony in District Korangi to Lyari in the South district, from Federal B Area in District Central to Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jauhar in the East district complained that they were without electricity since 6pm, when it started to rain.

Until the filing of this report, many of them had told The News that despite complaining to the KE, no teams had arrived in their respective localities as it continued to rain intermittently in various parts of the metropolis.

Traffic jams were witnessed at Drigh Road on Sharea Faisal, where construction of an underpass is under way. The Karachi traffic police said there was vehicular mess at Drigh Road while traffic was passing slowly on Rashid Minhas Road due to accumulation of rainwater on various parts of the thoroughfare.

Similarly, added the traffic police, a gridlock-like situation was also witnessed at Jauhar Chowrangi in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, near the Samama Shopping Centre on University Road, near the Safari Park and in many parts of North Nazimabad and North Karachi, where it rained the most.

According to the Met Office, 26 millimetres of rain was recorded in North Karachi, followed by 20mm at the Model Observatory of the Met Office in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, 17.4mm in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, 16.5mm in North Nazimabad and 12mm in the airport and PAF Base Masroor areas. More rain is expected in the wee hours of Thursday, said the Met officials.

Prior to rain, Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra had declared a rain emergency across the city and vowed that he would not let the people face any difficulty, but no official or worker of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was seen anywhere in the city to provide assistance to the stranded citizens.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah talked to Vohra and Karachi District Council Chairman Salman Murad and assured them of the provincial government’s complete support and assistance to the municipal organisations for providing relief to the citizens, draining out water from the roads and thoroughfares and helping out distressed citizens.

 

‘Swift power restoration’

K-Electric feeders tripped in different parts of the city following the city received a heavy downpour but the utility’s teams swiftly restored power supply to the affected areas, a spokesman for the K-Electric said on Wednesday night. 

The KE’s spokesperson claimed that power supply to the city remained intact on Wednesday while uninterrupted power supply was provided to the major hospitals, the Dhabeji pumping station and the Karachi airport.

“The majority of the affected feeders were re-energised within a few hours after the rain. Moreover, the KE helpline and ground teams continued to work round the clock to address any localised faults,” he added.

“Following the rain forecast, the KE staff ensured strict vigilance and further strengthened its on-ground work force to ensure a swift restoration process. The power utility also maintained a close coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority, the Pakistan Meteorological Department and the city administration to extend effective support,” he added.

The KE urged the public to stay away from broken wires, poles and transformers during the rainy and windy weather. The power utility also urged citizens to refrain from using illegal connections.

“Customers are requested to inform the power utility of any broken wires or other complaints by calling on 118 or 021-99000. Queries may also be sent via SMS to 8119 or through the KE’s Facebook and Twitter pages.”