Three people die, power supply goes haywire as city receives more showers

Published June 30, 2016
A TRAFFIC policeman pushes a broken-down hi-roof van out of rainwater near the Sakhi Hasan Chowrangi in North Nazimabad on Wednesday.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star
A TRAFFIC policeman pushes a broken-down hi-roof van out of rainwater near the Sakhi Hasan Chowrangi in North Nazimabad on Wednesday.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star

KARACHI: The fresh rain system dropped “moderate to heavy showers” on Karachi for a second day on Wednesday and the city’s poor municipal infrastructure and vulnerable electric supply system responded erratically, as usual, leaving at least three more people dead, dozens of localities without electricity supply and several low-lying areas inundated. Three people and 18 goats died in lightning elesewhere in Sindh.

Though Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presided over a meeting at CM House to address rain-related issues and plan measures to cope with the situation and ordered release of Rs476 million for desilting of all the 30 city nullahs, many said it was too late on part of the high-ups when the meteorological department had issued a downpour warning almost a month ago.

On Wednesday four people died in rain-related incidents in the metropolis, taking the death toll to six in the two-day rains.

According to Eidgah police SHO Naeemudin, a man in his mid-60s died from electrocution near the Civil Hospital Karachi. He said the shutter of a building had got connected with several live wires there and when the man touched it, he received an electric shock and died.

The SHO said the dead man was a member of the Sikh community but his identity could not be ascertained immediately. In another incident, a young man was electrocuted in the Sharifabad area. The police said Shafiq, 30, was working at his welding shop near the Karimabad crossing when he received an electric shock and died.

A teenage boy died from electrocution in Keamari. An official at the Jackson police station said the victim, identified as Osama Khan, died from electrocution while playing with friends in his lane during rain when he touched a nearby electric pole which had electric current passing through it.

In Tharparkar three men, aged from 18 to 45, were killed in separate incidents when they were struck by lightning during widespread rains. A herd of 18 goats also perished in a similar incident in Doonj village near Islamkot town. On Tuesday, two women and a youth were killed by lightning in the district.

Thick and dark clouds burst in the second half of the day and the rain spell continued for almost an hour with multiple breaks in Karachi. The met office called the fresh spell as a “moderate to heavy rainfall” and said the trend was likely to continue at least for another 24 hours.

“Maximum 43.4mm rainfall was recorded at Karachi airport,” said a weatherman. “In Nazimabad 32.4mm was recorded, 25mm in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, 17mm each in Masroor and Gulishan-i-Hadeed, 15mm each in the Sharea Faisal and Saddar areas and 12mm in Landhi. The trend is likely to continue on Thursday when the temperatures are expected to stay 37 and 39 degrees centigrade with 55 to 65 per cent humidity.”

Staff Eid holidays cancelled

The city administration told all the municipalities across the city to cancel the Eid holidays of their respective staff to face the emergency caused by the rains.

Officials said a communiqué had been sent to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), cantonments, district municipal corporations and district authorities in which they had been told not to allow Eid holidays to their staffs involved in emergency operations.

“All municipal, cantonments and district authorities are desired to put on high alert the manpower and available resources with them in view of the prevailing monsoon season and expected rains in Karachi,” said the communiqué also sent to the secretary of the local government department, 5 Corps Karachi, Pakistan Navy and HQ Southern Air Command, Pakistan Air Force.

“You are further advised not to extend any Eid holidays to employees involved in the [monsoon-related] operation,” said the official letter, adding that the instructions were issued in public interest.

Despite claims and announcement from the municipal and provincial authorities, the city life did not return to normality due to the rains though the drainage and sewage situation of major road links improved a little on Thursday because of efforts by the KMC and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

Power and water woes

The power supply system, however, failed to show any sign of improvement as usual. Those consumers who did have electricity, however, complained of low voltage or not getting one or two phases. Water supply to Karachi was also disturbed thanks to the power disruptions at the Dhabeji, Gharo and Pipri pumping stations.

Many residents never saw power being restored since the first drops of rain fell a day ago on Tuesday. Some complained of no power for 30 hours, some for 24 hours.

Manzoor Yamin, a resident of U-Sector in Gulshan-i-Maymar said that power in his area could not be restored for over 30 hours. Mr John at Numaish also said that his area was left without power for as long. This was also the issue in residential areas closest to the commercial areas of the city, especially DHA. Others complained of power playing hide-and-seek in their homes.

And more rain on Wednesday caused the tripping of 140 of K-Electric’s 1,400 feeders. Of them some 20 could be brought back on track in a few hours by KE teams, who claimed to be on call without rest.

Very low voltage was reported by several consumers, especially those in Defence Housing Authority and Clifton, while many areas such as the DHA and Gulshan reported of being without one or two of their three phases. People there complained of being unable to operate their water pumps which need all three phases to run.

Power outages at Dhabeji also ended up damaging important equipment there, including pumps and machinery. Earlier, on Tuesday evening the first outage at Dhabeji after rainfall is said to have been accompanied by a loud explosion that according to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board resulted in damaging the 72-inch diameter supply pipeline to Karachi.

The constant outages resulted in a shortfall of 260 million gallons of water for Karachi. Meanwhile, many of the city’s pumping stations including those at Bakrapiri, Paposh Nagar, Liaquabad, Sakhi Hassan, Safoora Goth, Joona Masjid and Niazi Chowk in Lyari were without power. Therefore residents have been requested by KWSB to conserve water during the uncertain situation.

On their part, the KE said that all of their tripped feeders had been restored to normal function by their technical teams by 9pm. “If there are still any complaints of no power from anywhere, it would no longer be part of any major breakdown and could be a local fault or power there might have been deliberately disconnected as a precautionary measure due to hook connection infested areas and water logging by KE,” a KE spokesman told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...