August 19, 2006	Saturday	Rajab 23, 1427

KARACHI, Aug 18: The city’s civic infrastructure remained partially dislocated on Friday as the death toll in the rain-related incidents rose to 21.

The civic agencies failed to drain out stagnant rainwater from several roads and low-lying localities.

A majority of people chose to remain indoors and enjoy the holiday as the quantum of traffic was low and all major markets and commercial centres remained closed.

While the puddles and pools of filth were a cause of public sufferings in a number of localities, the stagnant water slowly drained away from many roads and streets as it did not rain any more.

The Met office, however, predicted more rains with thundershowers in the city during the next two days, though it was mostly dry and bright to start the day across the city on Friday.

According to the forecast, the weather would remain cloudy with chances of rain or thundershower. A Met office official said that another weather system (low pressure area) presently located over Madhya Pradesh, India, was heading westwards.

Under the influence of this low pressure, widespread rains are expected in Sindh and Balochistan during the next two days. The intensity of rains may be moderate to high at times in lower Sindh, according to the official.

Fishermen have been advised special care on Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday, the minimum and maximum temperatures recorded were 25.2 and 35.2 degrees Centigrade, respectively, with humidity being at 62 per cent.

The toll of rain-related deaths since late Thursday night rose to 21 and most of the victims were electrocuted.

The other emergency cases reported at major hospitals appeared to be those of accidents, mainly involving motorcycles.

A doctor at the Emergency ward of the JPMC said that they have treated more than 25 per cent accidents caused by the slippery roads. In PECHS, two persons died of electrocution in separate incidents on Friday. They were identified as Noor Alam, 60, and Adil, 30, Ferozabad police said. Their bodies were shifted to the Jinnah Hospital for legal formalities.

Edhi officials said that two persons, reportedly relatives, were electrocuted in Orangi Town sector 11-1/2 late Thursday night. Their bodies could not be shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for due to the blocked roads, Edhi officials said.

They stated that a rickshaw driver was electrocuted when a live cable snapped from a pole and fell on him in Patel Para area while he was trying to repair his vehicle. His body was sent to Civil Hospital.

Another three persons were electrocuted in separate incidents in Usmanabad (Lyari), Moosa Lane and Pakistan Chowk (near Burhani Mosque).

Meanwhile, experts have warned of an outbreak of epidemics in low-lying areas and squatter settlements which are still under water. Over 100 cases of gastroenteritis have already been reported at hospitals, sources said.

While the city hospitals lacked adequate facilities to handle the emergency, no measures were taken by the authorities to provide preventive inoculation and spray to prevent an outbreak.

Angry citizen complained that there were no signs of emergency mobilisation, as claimed by the city and the provincial governments.

While commuters were caught up in the rivulets, no ambulance or other emergency services were on the scene to extricate the marooned people and broken down vehicles, some at certain places were seen floating.

Witnesses said that that the rainwater had entered the casualty department of the JPMC where fire-tenders were used to pump it out but with little success. The concerned cantonment board had taken no remedial measures, they said, adding that similar was the situation at the NICVD and other hospitals in the vicinity.

Korangi, the home to many millions of Karachiites, was cut off from rest of the city from three sides as roads and bridges were inundated. The road leading to the area from Qayyumabad was badly damaged. One can only reach the locality from Quaidabad side.

In Gulistan-i-Jauhar, a locality completely neglected by the elected representatives, roads have been washed away. A portion of the road leading to Pahelwan Goth from Jauhar Chowrangi caved in, taking an inter-city bus along. Because of the civic administration’s neglect, the bridge connecting Gulistan-i-Jauhar with Rashid Minhas Road at Jauhar Morr, was also threatened by the stagnant water.

Tipu Sultan Road that provides another link between Karsaz and Sharea Faisal has also been extensively damaged by the rain and it was full of potholes.

The coastal areas of Mubarak village and Muwachh Goth have been cut off as the road has been washed away by the gushing water and hundreds of people were trapped there. They are without water and other supplies. Water has entered rice godowns near the Degree College, Shamspir, and many katcha houses have been damaged by the rainwater coming down from the mountains.

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