KARACHI: Five members of a family, including two children, were rescued on Sunday after falling into an open drain in Korangi’s Mehran Town area, according to Rescue 1122 officials.

A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the Central Command and Control received the alert and immediately dispatched a water rescue team and trained divers to the site.

“The rescue team carried out a rapid operation and rescued all five affected individuals, who were heading to attend a wedding ceremony,” he said.

The spokesperson said all affected individuals were rescued and taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre by ambulance for medical treatment.

However, one of the women rescued from the drain was reported to be in critical condition, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson told Dawn that four people – two women and children – were on their way to attend the wedding ceremony. Upon reaching the corner of the street to board the bus, they ascended over a rain drain near the mosque covered with slabs; however, it could not bear their weight, and all four persons fell into it.

A male family member, who rushed to the spot and jumped into the drain to rescue the women and children, was also swept away.

The spokesperson said that the drain was around 50-100 feet deep.

Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad also took notice of the incident and confirmed the rescue of all five family members. He further said that all affected individuals were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

The statement from his office said that an immediate rescue operation was launched at the site on the directives of the deputy mayor.

“The affected individuals were safely pulled out of the drain,” it said.

He said Rescue 1122 teams were promptly dispatched to the location and carried out the operation efficiently.

Murad added that the protection of human lives was the top priority of the city administration and appreciated the timely coordination and cooperation of emergency response agencies during the incident.

Open drains in Pakistan persist due to poor urban planning, lack of maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety standards. During rains, they become invisible hazards, leading to fatal falls, drownings, and injuries, particularly among children.

A week ago, an eight-year-old boy who was playing outside his home drowned in an uncovered manhole in Mehran Town.

Earlier in December, a three-year-old boy, Ibrahim, also fell into an open manhole in Karachi’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal. His body was recovered more than 12 hours after the incident was first reported.

According to the Edhi Foundation, 27 people had lost their lives after falling into open manholes and ditches in the metropolis last year.