KARACHI, Pakistan: At least eight people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy downpours paralysed Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, on Tuesday, overwhelming the city’s civic infrastructure and severely disrupting daily life.
The persistent rainfall led to widespread urban flooding, submerging roads and paralysing routine activities across multiple areas.
According to reports, four individuals were killed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 12 when a wall collapsed.
Two others died due to electrocution in North Karachi and Defence, while another young man lost his life to a similar incident in Orangi Town.
In a separate incident, one person was killed after a fire broke out at a petrol pump in Malir during the rain.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, as rising water levels — reaching several feet in some areas, including Malir — have left many commuters, including those returning from work and school, stranded.
The situation bears a troubling resemblance to the devastating monsoon floods of 2022.
Karachi braces for more rain
A spokesperson for the Meteorological Department has warned that the next two days will be critical for Karachi, with further heavy rainfall expected on 20 and 21 August.
The port city continues to face severe weather conditions following days of downpours.
According to Met Office data, the highest rainfall was recorded at Karachi Airport with 125mm, followed by Gulistan-e-Jauhar (122mm), Gulshan-e-Hadeed (75mm), University Road (59mm), Keamari (30mm), Nazimabad (29mm), Saadi Town (24mm), Korangi (14.6mm), Orangi (12.2mm), Gulshan-e-Maymar (11mm), and Sharea Faisal (17mm). Notably, the airport area reported 13mm in a separate reading.
Flight operations disrupted
The heavy rain also caused major disruptions to flight operations at Jinnah International Airport. At least eight flights were cancelled and 20 were delayed, while several inbound flights were diverted to other cities due to poor weather conditions.
Rain Emergency Declared
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has issued directives to activate the Rain Emergency Plan in Karachi, instructing authorities to take immediate action to drain water from low-lying areas and flooded roads.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has also urged the police to prioritise public safety and advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing heavy rainfall
Furthermore, the downpour also caused electricity outages in multiple areas. However, K-Electric (KE) has said that the city was being provided with an uninterrupted power supply from more than 1,770 feeders out of 2,100.
As a precautionary measure, power supply is temporarily suspended in low-lying areas, said the KE spokesperson.
