HYDERABAD / MIRPURKHAS: A long spell of downpour couple with strong winds on Tuesday evening caused a massive power breakdown in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas districts as well as their adjoining areas.

A Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) spokesman said that 147 11kV feeders tripped across its Hyderabad region due to the strong winds and rainfall. In Hyderabad city, power supply to 65 feeders remained suspended till late in the evening. The spokesman said that technical staff was working to normalise the situation.

The breakdown in both the districts occurred at around 5pm when the entire region was hit by strong winds followed by a heavy spell of rain. In many areas of the two districts, electricity supply could not be restored till 9:30pm.

The duration of rainfall in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas districts was about 90 and 40 minutes, respectively.

In Hesco’s Saddar and Bohri Bazaar subdivisions, power supply remained suspended even before it had started raining.

Power supply to the pumping stations and water filtration plants also remained suspended.

The Met department’s observatory recorded 6mm of rainfall at Hyderabad airport and 23.2mm at the city observatory between 5:10pm and 5:40pm.

Met officials have attributed the wind / thunderstorm and rainfall to the tropical cyclone present in the Bay of Bengal.

The downpour and resultant flooding of roads and streets, besides power breakdown, crippled life in almost all cities and towns of Mirpurkhas district.

Absence of electricity also turned water pumping facilities of the municipality and domestic motors inoperative, creating fear of a shortage of drinking water.

The municipality also faced problems in flushing out rainwater and sewage from roads, streets and low-lying areas due to the power breakdown.

Flooding of roads and lanes led to the closure of markets and bazaars, and customers also rushed back home leaving the shopping areas and commercial streets deserted.

Power utility workers were seen at work to restore supply in Mirpurkhas city and other towns. The areas affected by the downpour and power breakdown, besides Mirpurkhas city, included Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Jhuddo,Tando Jan Mohammed, Kot Ghulam Mohammed, Sindhri, Hingorno, Khaan and Jhilori.

Residents of the low-lying slums were seen using buckets and other pots to throw out water from inside their homes. Speaking to local reporters, they complained that MCM officers and sanitation workers did not turn up to discharge their duty of flushing out rainwater and sewage from their lanes. Some families were seen moving to some dry areas as rainwater had flooded their homes.

Meanwhile, public and private vehicles remained off the road within Mirpurkhas city and intercity routes till late in the evening.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2025