Staff Reporter
Karachi
Three days of monsoon rains have killed at least 90 people and damaged 1,000 homes across Pakistan, the country’s National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) said Tuesday, as another spell of heavy rain lashed Karachi.
Of the total of the rain-related casualties, 31 deaths were reported in Sindh province, while 23 people died in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the agency. It said 15 deaths were reported in Balochistan province and eight in Punjab. Thirteen more people died elsewhere in northern Pakistan, including three in Azad Kashmir.
The roads of the port city turned into waterways after frequents light to heavy rainfall for 12 hours paralyzing normal life on Tuesday.
Most of the main roads and streets in Karachi are looking like nullahs and drains after the rainfall as three to four feet of water standing in North Karachi, Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi, according to reports.
Karachi is facing a situation of urban flooding, as knee-long rainwater gathered at Saddar, M.A. Jinnah Road and Tibet Centre, Sohrab Goth, Shara-e-Faisal, Malir and Landhi, Safoora Chowrangi, NIPA Chowrangi, Hassan Square and People’s Chowrangi. The roads at KDA Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi and Hyderi areas drowned under the water disturbing traffic flow.
People were stranded at many places after several cars, motorbikes and rickshaws turned off in rainwater. Karachi’s main traffic artery Shara-e-Faisal has been submerged from Kala Board to Baloch Colony flyover and Nursery. Traffic Police in its update said that the traffic to Gudam Chowrangi has been diverted to Jam Sadiq Bridge. The traffic from
Baloch Colony being guided to Qayyumabad, police statement said.
Moreover, a 13-year boy drowned in a pool of water at Hawkes Bay’s Musharraf Colony. Rangers rescued the passengers of a bus that was upturned amid heavy rainfall at Hub River road. The paramilitary force personnel also put the vehicle on its wheels with the help of a heavy crane.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah declared a rain emergency as the heavy downpours wreaked havoc in several cities and towns.
According to the official statement issued on Tuesday, the leaves of all government department employees have been cancelled and those who are already on leave have been asked to report to their relevant department at the earliest.
The chief minister also directed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to start relief operations in the rain affected areas.
The current rain spell, which started around 4am in many areas, continues unabated in Karachi as the city witnesses the heaviest spell of the current monsoon system.
The city’s electric utility, K-Electric, urged citizens to adopt precautionary measures and asked people to keep a safe distance from broken wires, electric poles and pole-mounted transformers.
Residents of different districts in Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and Tharparkar, suffered yet another day of prolonged power outages and inundated roads as heavy rainfall lashed the province.
70 Army and Pak Rangers
More than 70 Army and Pakistan Rangers Sindh rescue and relief teams are assisting civil administration to provide relief to affected population.
Army rescue teams are shifting affected people of Quaidabad through Army Engineer boats to safer places. Army Engineers made 200 m long and 4 feet high bund to avoid flooding of M9 and ensuring proper regulation of water. 3 Army Engineers teams were deployed along Mehran drain to avoid its spillover to save K Elec Grid station , Saadi town and Malir Cantt. Relief and rescue teams are busy in shifting the people to safer places and being provided shelters. Cooked meal provided to people struck due to water.
Various areas which got badly effected include, Gulshan e Hadeed, DHA, Gizri, Kimari, North Kci, ,Nazimabad, , Saddar ,Landhi,, Airport, University Rd, Faisal Base,, Jinnah terminal, Saadi town, Quaidabad, Yusaf Goth, PAF Faisal, PAF Masroor and Gulistan e Johar
