KARACHI, Aug 7: The night-long heavy showers which continued till Monday morning flooded various thoroughfares leaving road users stranded in traffic congestions and disturbed the power supply distribution system of the metropolis.

The city government and all civic agencies responsible for civic affairs once again appeared helpless in making any arrangement for drainage of rainwater. The first spell of monsoon rains that started on July 30 had already put the performance of the city government and civic agencies under severe criticism.

Following the night-long rains, a portion of the newly built Hawkesbay Road was washed away suspending the vehicular movement on the thoroughfare. On the other hand, one of the busiest Korangi Road was closed for traffic as the rainwater inundated its portion making it impossible for commuters to move on.

Besides, the rainwater remained accumulated on various roads and thoroughfares, including University Road near Old Sabzi Mandi and NIPA roundabout, M.A. Jinnah Road, Water Pump in Federal B' Area, Buffer Zone, Nagan Chowrangi, several parts of Lyari, Empress Market, Saddar Dawakhana, Jehangir Park, Garden, Pak Colony, and various arteries in Defence and Clifton.

Shopkeepers and customers were faced with severe problems due to accumulation of rainwater on roads and streets near Saddar Dawakhana and inside the Empress Market.

Though at a few places, the city government workers were seen draining out the rainwater, the overall situation in most areas was pitiful. The city government claimed focusing its attention on removal of rainwater from streets and roads, heaps of refuse continued mounting at garbage dumps in various localities.

People in various localities complained that the piles of trash were mounting and no one from the city government had attended their complaints. They said that as the rubbish was not being lifted and it got wet in the rain and started stinking.

A resident of Block-17 in Federal B' Area said that heaps of garbage had been mounting on streets and in the playground. He said that the Ancholi union council did not pay any importance to lift the garbage. Following rains, the stinking rubbish posed serious health hazards to the area residents, he apprehended. Besides, he said, the accumulated water in neighbourhood narrow streets and playgrounds had become the nurturing place for flies and mosquitoes.

People said that if the city government did not have funds to spray to kill insects in the city, at least it could lift heaps of refuse and make proper arrangement for draining out the accumulated water.

Shakeel, a resident of Defence Phase VII, said that the overflowing gutters and rainwater mixed up on many roads. He said that drainage lines were laid recently but probably the new system did not work. Several complaints were lodged with the DHA and they said that a vehicle was dispatched but for the past three days no vehicle had turned up for the repair of choked sewerage lines.

Vehicles and people waded through the rainwater. The hardest-hit were the motorcyclists who hardly managed to save themselves as the passing vehicles splattered their clothes. Due to the standing water on roads, several vehicles and motorbikes could not protect their engines. Some vehicles were seen abandoned on roads creating hurdles for the vehicular traffic. Besides, the potholes and ditches developed in roads caused disruptions in the smooth flow of traffic.

The night-long rain showers in the city was measured as 20.7mm at airport observatory of the met department, 41mm at Masroor Base, 28.7mm at New Karachi, and 14.4mm at the Model observatory on the University Road. On an average, the city received 26.2mm rain between Sunday and Monday night. The met officials said that the maximum and minimum temperatures on Monday were recorded at 30.8 and 25.5 degrees Celsius respectively with 81 per cent humidity in the air.

The local meteorological department has forecast cloudy weather with chances of rain for Tuesday as well. The maximum temperature is expected to range between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius.

With the start of second spell of monsoon rains, major parts of the city plunged into darkness on Sunday night, as rains hit the power supply system of the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation.

Several people complained about power failures in their respective localities. However, the spokesman for the KESC said that power supply system worked properly and no major breakdown occurred in the system. He said that the KESC did not need to resort to power load shedding as the power demand was met accordingly.

Kaneez Jilani from Paradise Palace Apartments on Sarwar Shaheed Road said that the power supply was discontinued at around 2:30pm and it was not restored till late in the night. She said that the power supply was suspended daily for 10-12 hours for the past one week since the monsoon season started. “Today, I was lucky that I managed to speak to the operator at centralized complaint number 118. He gave me a number of an official of my area. I spoke to him and he said that the sub-station supply electricity to my apartment building developed fault and as the water accumulated around it, the fault could not be repaired until rainwater is drained out and it may take to another four to five days,” she said fearing that the apartment residents may suffer prolonged power outages for another five days.

A resident from Block-L North Nazimabad said that the power supply was gone at around 6:30pm and it was not restored after the lapse of four hours. The suspension in power supply occurred thrice a day and the KESC did not do anything to improve its system.

Calling from Block-16, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, a resident complained that his area faced hours-long power failures throughout the night and day.

Shahzeb from Block-16/A in Gulistan-i-Jauhar said that the residents of KDA Oversees Bungalows experienced a nine-hour long power breakdown as the power supply was discontinued at 11am and it was restored at 8pm. The residents also experienced a day-long power outage on Saturday.