Emergency declared as heavy rainfall inundates Karachi, Hyderabad

 Emergency declared as heavy rainfall inundates Karachi, Hyderabad

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has imposed a rain emergency in the province after heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Karachi and other parts of the province.

The chief minister reviewed the rainfall situation at Nursery area in the provincial capital and directed the chief secretary on the telephone to issue a notification, imposing rain emergency in the province.

CM Shah cancelled holidays of all government employees and directed them to report to their departments. “The city has received heavy rainfall and some low-lying areas have submerged,” said the chief minister as he directed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to initiate relief efforts in the metropolis.

He said that the government would not leave the masses alone at this testing time and he had visited parts of the city to ensure immediate clearing of rainwater from the roads. Later, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab also took to Twitter to share the decision of imposing rain emergency in the province.

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 PMD has also issued an urban flooding warning for the metropolis. A marked low-pressure system of heavy showers will start showing its effects during the afternoon hours.

At least two, both children, have reportedly died in rain-related incidents across the city and others have been injured.

Meanwhile, more than 20 parked vehicles were buried under the debris of a landslide near Gulistan-e-Johar’s Munawwar Chowrangi.

According to rescue officials, no loss of life or injuries has been reported so far. However, a number of vehicles parked there are stuck under the rubble, they added.

The police and rescue officials reached the site and an operation is underway to clear the debris.

The Met Office has predicted that the current spell with continue til Thursday (August 27).

Areas of Malir, airport, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony, Azeempura, DHA, Mehmoodabad, Akhtar Colony, Clifton among many others are witnessing heavy rainfall with interspersed periods of light to moderate showers.

With more rain expected throughout the day (Tuesday), normal life has come to a standstill and those caught outdoors are mostly trying to head back to their homes.

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 (PMT).

"The unsafe use of electric equipment in stagnant, or rainwater can cause accidents, illegal power connections are also deadly," added the KE spokesperson. There were reports of power outages from various areas of the city.

Meanwhile, many roads of the metropolis are inundated as commuters face severe issues due to choked or clogged storm drains. However, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah has claimed that the city's situation was better than it had been during the previous monsoon spells.

He further claimed that areas, where water has accumulated, are being rapidly cleared, including major arteries of the port city.

Hyderabad

Meanwhile, several people injured after heavy rainfall with thunderstorm lashed Hyderabad and nearby areas on Monday night and Tuesday morning, inundating roads and low lying areas.

Areas of Qasimabad and Latifabad were showing the flood-like situation as rainwater paralysed routine life.

According to PMD, the city received the maximum rainfall of 133 mm so far. The Met Office said that rain would continue till Wednesday afternoon.

The rainwater entered the building of circuit house, Hyderabad and Shehbaz building located at Thandi Sadak. Meanwhile, power supply to most of areas remained suspended due to continuous rainfall.

HESCO authorities have been directed to ensure the provision of power supply so that pumping stations could be made operational round the clock and drainage of rainwater and provision of water supply could also be ensured.

Badin, Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro, Kotri, Tando Muhammad Khan, Nawabshah and other parts of Sindh also are received thundershowers.

Citizens also shared the situation in many areas around their residences and workplaces on social media.