Karachi: Heavy rains lashed Karachi on Thursday evening and early Friday inundating main roads and streets while at least 12 people were reported killed in rain related incidents including electrocutions.
Rescue officials said that a man and a child were electrocuted in Orangi No.10 and Nazimabad, respectively. Separately, an unidentified man was electrocuted in Cantt station, one in Malir Birohi Goth and two in Sher Shah area. Two other men were electrocuted in Khyber Chowk and Afridi Chowk in Itehad town.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui visited Maripur, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Lyari, Saddar and M.A Jinnah Road after rain and inspected draining of rainwater and nullahs. He directed the officers that rainwater should not accumulate on roads.
Citizens of Karachi welcomed the burst of showers from the skies as it helped end a dry and hot spell of weather but blessing, soon turned into trouble as many areas of the metropolitan city deprived citizens of electricity and traffic was jammed on major roads of the city.
More than 100 feeders tripped throughout the city causing inconvenience to citizens as electricity supply got suspended. Ponds formed on roadsides and cars broke down by the hundreds which caused traffic blockage on the road of the metropolitan city.
According to Met, Landhi area of Karachi received the most rainfall with 48 millimeters. Airport received 26, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 15, Nazimabad 10, North Karachi 12 while Gulistan Johar got 17 millimeters of rain. There is a high likelihood that rain will also fall tomorrow, as per Met’s details. Citizens should ready themselves and take proper measures while going outside home for their safety.
In the interior of Sindh, several villages have been washed away by floods while at least 70 villages in Ghotki lost land connections to other parts.
In Punjab, hundreds of localities have been engulfed by river floods in Rajanpur and Mianwali after levees were breached. Thousands of affected locals are shifting families to safer places using private boats.
In Layyah, as many as 150 schools have been destroyed by floods. At least two lac people in Layyah are affected as 382 villages and small towns have been washed away.Five relief camps have been set up by the administration in Layyah but people are not read to leave their homes fearing looting of their belongings.
A levee in Muhammad Sharif Wali area in Mianwali was breached resultantly dozens of villages were inundated.
However, the Pakistan Army and Rescue 1122 are continuing relief and rescue operations in different affected areas.