KARACHI, Aug 7: Roads and streets in Gulshan-i-Faisal of the Bath Island and Block 8 of Clifton continued to remain submerged by rainwater for the ninth consecutive day on Monday, making the life of residents so miserable that many of them shifted out of the area.

People there have been living without potable water as rainwater mixed with sewage entered their underground water tanks. The whole vicinity has been stinking and many residents do not venture out of their homes as their streets are flooded with knee-deep stagnant water.

Agha Hameed, a banker, told Dawn over the phone that the stagnant rainwater had confined the residents of Streets 3 to 14 to their homes for the past nine days. “My wife is a patient of high blood pressure, but I cannot take her to the doctor due to the flooded streets,” he said.

He said the city nazim had visited the affected parts of the Bath Island and he had promised that the rainwater would be drained out within 12 hours. “Almost three days have passed since the city nazim’s promise, and there is no change in the situation,” he said.

The civic agencies had sent fire-brigade engines to Street Nos 5, 6, 7 and 8 for draining out the rainwater. However, Sunday’s showers added enough water to the already flooded area.

Dr Shahad, a resident of Street No 4, said there were 15 streets which were flooded with rainwater and sewage. “I could not go to work for the past five days,” he said and added that the residents were running short of groceries and provisions.

The doctor said, “We just can’t describe the situation we have been going through. This seems to be a huge crisis and we have just lost the hope after suffering this situation for the past nine days.

“How can I go out to bring groceries and provision through the knee-deep stinking water when I don’t have potable water at home to later clean my body?” he asked.

Dr Shahab recalled that the governor, during his visit to the vicinity, had promised to the people that the stagnant water would be drained out with 12 hours.

Zia Awan, a leading human rights lawyer and resident of the affected area, said the civic agencies were not doing any thing to ease out the situation.

Jawaid Ahmed Shaikh, another resident, said: “Over 5,000 residents have been going through the major mess for the past nine days, but the authorities seem to be absolutely indifferent.”

A resident of Block-8 of Clifton said the area’s streets and lanes had remained submerged for the ninth consecutive day and the civic agencies had not bothered to make any effort to drain out the stagnant rainwater.