KARACHI: The city saw its first monsoon showers late Friday evening with most areas seeing light to moderate rainfall under the influence of a weather system prevailing over parts of Sindh and Balochistan.
The areas reporting rain included Saddar, SITE, Lyari, Mehmoodabad, Korangi, Malir, Landhi, Gulshan-i-Maymar, DHA-City, Sharea Faisal and others.
According to the Met department, rain/thundershowers are expected in Karachi on Saturday (today) and Sunday (tomorrow).
Although it was a brief spell, the rain exposed the civic agencies’ lack of preparedness as water accumulated in several low-lying areas, particularly in district South.
Power supply to many parts of the city also disrupted as soon as the rain started.
Although traffic on the roads was thin due to the late hour, the sudden rain made the surfaces slippery. Several motorcyclists lost control and fell.
Although the brief rain brought a drop in temperature and a sense of relief from the heat, it also renewed concerns about city’s vulnerability to urban flooding during the monsoon season.
Many Sindh cities also saw light to moderate rains on Friday.
The Met Office said rain may continue in most parts of the province — Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze and Thatta districts — till July 27 with occasional gaps.
Govt on high alert: Sharjeel
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the provincial government had put all relevant institutions on high alert in view of the monsoon rains in Sindh.
In a statement, he said the government was taking comprehensive and effective measures to ensure the safety of the life and property of the people.
He said that instructions have been issued to all district administrations, as well as town and UCs, to remain on standby. Rescue agencies and other relevant departments have also been directed to ensure full preparedness and maintain an immediate response capability to deal with any emergency situation.
Mr Memon also appealed to the public to avoid leaving their homes unnecessarily during heavy rains, follow the weather conditions and instructions issued by the relevant institutions.
Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2026