The ongoing spell of winter showers in Karachi entered its second day on Wednesday, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting that the spell would continue till January 7.

According to the Met department, the highest amount of rainfall during the last 24 hours — 35.7mm —was recorded in Surjani Town, followed by Gulshan-i-Hadeed (32.0mm) and Quaidabad (28.0mm).

Moreover, Nazimabad received 23mm rainfall, University Road 22.4mm, Saadi Town 22.1mm and North Karachi and PAF Base Faisal both received 22.0mm. In addition, 20.7mm rainfall was recorded in the Airport area, 20.4mm in Jinnah Terminal, 20.1mm in Gulshan-i-Maymar and 20mm in PAF Base Masroor.

Rain-related deaths

Meanwhile, two rain-related deaths were reported in the city.

According to Mochko Police Station House Officer Chaudhry Shahid, a 42-year-old man, identified as Abdul Sattar, was killed after the roof of a house, weakened by the rain, collapsed in Mowach Goth on Wednesday morning. He said the deceased man's 12-year-old nephew, Rustam, sustained injuries in the incident and was taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

Separately, a factory worker died of electrocution in Korangi on Wednesday morning, the Edhi Foundation spokesperson said.

He said the worker, Adnan Razzak, 30, was at a restaurant to get some food when he touched the sunshade there and was electrocuted.

Traffic flow disrupted

Meanwhile, the city's traffic police issued a list of areas where traffic was slow because of rainwater accumulation. The areas include Anklesaria Chowk, Shaheen Complex, Tibet Centre, Jama Cloth Market, Tower, Jahangir Road, Bolton Market, Caltex Pump in SITE area, Korangi Bus Stop, PIB Colony, Shahra-i-Liaquat, Street 26, Governor House, Saeed Manzil, Regal Chowk, I.I. Chundrigarh Road, Cantt Station, Airport Road, Dua Chowrangi, Frere Hall, Jinnah Hospital, Saddar Dawakhana and Qayyumabad Chowrangi.

In a statement, it said that policemen were present at the aforesaid sites for management of traffic and citizens' aid.

For its part, K-Electric said electricity supply in the city was "as per usual". A spokesperson for the power utility said information is being provided to the consumers through media and social media platforms.

A day earlier, temperatures in the metropolis dropped after it received light to moderate rain with strong winds that continued throughout the evening in different parts.

The drizzling and moderate shower led to the collapse of the traffic system causing hour-long traffic jams on almost all key roads.

The intermittent downpour continued to test the patience of Karachiites and it damaged the city's ill-maintained traffic, electricity and sewerage systems.

Trend to continue till Jan 7

In an advisory issued on Wednesday, the Met department predicted that a strong westerly wave causing heavy and very heavy rains in Balochistan and Sindh will likely persist till January 7 (Friday).

Under the influence of the wave, thunderstorms, accompanied by isolated moderate to heavy rainfall, were likely to occur in Dadu, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Umerkot and Tharparkar.

According to the advisory, the weather in Karachi will remain cloudy with chances of light rain and drizzle. The temperature in the metropolis will remain between 14.8 degrees Celsius to 21°C.

The first spell of winter showers in Karachi was experienced in late December. The downpour had badly hit the city’s sewerage system, severed power supply and brought the vehicular traffic movement in all metropolis districts at a snail’s pace due to inundated roads and thoroughfares. One man had died due to to electrocution.