• Four of a family die in house collapse in Jauhar
• Man electrocuted to death • Many areas experience hours-long power outages
• Commuters suffer as submerged roads cause traffic mess
• Mayor, CM visit city areas to inspect rainwater drainage work
• Sindh govt announces public holiday in metropolis today

KARACHI: Heavy rains, described as “unprecedented” by the Met Office, paralysed life in Karachi on Tuesday and submerged many areas mainly due to clogged drains that could not handle the rainwater flow.

The rain also exposed the ill-maintained transmission and distribution system of K-Electric that collapsed with the first drop in the morning, causing hours-long power brea­kdowns across the city.

The intensity of the rain could be gauged from the fact that the city administration had to close down many underpasses and major thoroughfares for vehicular traffic as cars abandoned by their owners after breaking down were seen floating on the roads.

Almost every city road experienced prolonged traffic jams. Office-goers and students, particularly schoolchildren, were among those who suffered the most, having to wade through waist-deep flooded roads and streets to reach home.

Also, the provincial government has announced a public holiday in Karachi on Wednesday (today).

According to the Met Office, intermittent rains / thunderstorms are expected in Karachi over the next two days (Wednesday and Thursday) under the influence of strong monsoon currents penetrating from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah advised citizens to keep a safe distance from electric poles and fragile infrastructure to ensure their safety.

Six die in rain-related incidents

Six people, including three children, were killed in rain-related accidents in different parts of the city on Tuesday, officials said.

Five of them died in house and wall collapse incidents, while the sixth person died from electrocution.

According to rescue services officials, four people of a family, including two children, died and one was injured when a house collapsed due to heavy rains, which had weakened the structure in Gulistan-i-Jau­har on Tuesday afternoon.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the walls of a house in Block-12 collapsed due to heavy rainfall, trapping five family members under the debris. He said the Rescue’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, along with an ambulance and a rescue vehicle, arrived at the scene and retrieved all five individuals. Unfortu­nately, three died on the spot while the fourth succumbed to injuries during treatment. The fifth victim, a child, was admitted to a hospital for treatment.

All the victims belonged to the same family. They were identified as Maryam Afzal, 4; Hamza Afzal, 3; Sumia Mubeen, 24; and an unidentified 28-year-old woman. The injured child is around 10 years old.

In another incident, an eight-year-old child died when a wall of a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Orangi Town. The official said the house wall fell near Khalil Market. The Rescue 1122 team rushed to the scene and recovered the body of the boy, identified as Abdullah Abbas. He was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH).

In North Karachi, a man was electrocuted. The official said the victim died after receiving an electric shock. His body was shifted to the ASH for medico-legal formalities.

Rain data

According to the Met department’s data, the maximum rainfall was recorded in Gulshan-i-Hadeed, 170mm, or 6.69 inches, followed by Airport old area 158.5mm, Jinnah Terminal 153mm, Nazimabad 150mm, Surjani Town 145.2mm, North Karachi 144mm, Keamari and Saadi Town 140mm each, DHA Phase VII 134mm, Met Office University Road 133mm, Korangi 132.2mm, PAF Faisal Base 128mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar 98mm, PAF Masroor Base 87mm and Orangi Town 66.2mm.

It warned of urban flooding in low-lying areas of Karachi and other parts of the province.

“Public, travellers and tourists are advised to avoid unnecessary exposure to vulnerable areas to prevent any untoward situation and remain upda­ted with the latest weather conditions,” it added.

The domestic and international flight operations at Karachi airport was also affected badly.

The Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA) confirmed that several flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to alternative airport due to inclement weather.

Power outages add to rain woes

The widespread power outages added to the woes of Karachiites, who struggled to cope with heavy rainfall and urban flooding.

The power disruption also severely affected the water supply for citizens who rely on suction pumps due to the very low water pressure.

According to a K-Electric statement, around 800 fee­d­ers, out of over 2,100, fac­ed outage during the peak of the rain spell. “However, KE teams rem­ained depl­oyed, prioritising restoration work as soon as conditions permitted. Key infrastructure, including power plants and grid stations, continued to function normally,” the statement added.

It said that restoration efforts continued undeterred despite significant waterlogging and congestion. Areas with high levels of stagnant water, particularly in low-lying zones, were particularly affected due to restricted access and safety risks for residents and field teams.

Karachi returns to normalcy, claims KMC

A Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) statement said that although heavy rainfall resulted in a situation of urban flooding, Karachi returned to normalcy following the timely measures and directives issued by Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab.

Under the mayor’s instructions, the Municipal Services Department remained vigilant with its drain cleaning operations across the city. “As a result, major roads, including Sharea Faisal, Submarine Underpass, KPT Underpass, Mehran Underpass, Schon Circle Underpass, Clifton Underpass, and Drigh Road Underpass, were swiftly cleared and reopened for smooth traffic flow,” it added.

Throughout the day, the mayor personally visited various parts of the city and inspected major storm water drains and monitored the drainage operations to ensure uninterrupted flow and proper disposal of rainwater. At a chocking point on Sharea Faisal, the mayor himself supervised the cleaning work for over three hours, it added.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also paid a visit to different areas of the metropolis to inspect the drainage work.

He advised the citizens to stay home and said that he announced a holiday in view of their safety.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025