-Residents to bear prolonged power failures, flooded roads, damaged infrastructure, traffic jams, vehicle breakdowns, improper drainage & sewage system
-CM declares rain emergency in province
-Rain breaks 36-year record
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Heavy rainfall on Tuesday battered various cities of the province, including Karachi, as it fell victim to the destruction of property and lives at the hands of the fifth spell of rain.
Residents of Sindh had to bear numerous problems such as prolonged power failures, flooded roads, damaged infrastructure, traffic jams, vehicle breakdowns, improper drainage and sewage system etc.
The Meteorological (Met) department on Monday had expressed its apprehensions regarding urban flooding in Karachi as it had predicted heavy rainfall until Thursday. Malir, Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Saadi Town, Liaquatabad, Federal B. Area, North Karachi, Surjani Town and North Nazimabad were among the areas most adversely affected by the rain in the metropolitan.
At least three feet deep water had accumulated on Karachi’s main artery Shahrah-e-Faisal after water could not be drained from either side of the road. Various transport vehicles got stuck in the water and broke down because of the water seeping into their engines. The first drop of rain initiated prolong power outages in many areas of the city which added on to the misery of the people. A K-Electric spokesperson said power was shut down in many areas as a safety precaution. “Due to water entering houses in many of the low-lying areas of the city, we have turned off power as a safety precaution,” he said.
The spokesperson added that resuming power during the flood-like situation in the city could be dangerous.
“We are working with the relevant departments to restore power,” the spokesperson said, adding that water had entered installations at Bin Qasim, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Society. The heavy downpour resulted in the inundation of the road leading to Karachi University, and accumulation of a few feet high rainwater on the road linking Hassan Square with Safoora Chorangi. Water entered people’s home and forced around 200 families to relocate form the low-lying areas in Surjani Town.
Meanwhile, rainwater found its way through the roofs of the accountability courts halting the processes within.
