KARACHI - Despite passing 24 hours, before the alarming information of metallurgical office that heavy showers are expected in 48 hours across Sindh, no extraordinary measures have been taken by the provincial and City district government to control the situation and clear the main thoroughfares of the City from rain water as once again the administration have failed to cope with the situation which always appeared in Karachi after heavy rains. It may be noted that during earlier monsoon rains it was stated by the administration that heavy rains were the natural calamity which happened suddenly and no one can do anything for prevention. But what happened on Monday, when met office had warned and forecast a heavy cycle of rains is approaching the province. Life in the City has come to a standstill soon after the commencement of heavy torrential rain on Monday evening while the storm water has covered the streets. The newly installed drain system of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) that seems to cope up with the draining out the storm water is also helpless in sucking the heavy influx of floods as a result of heavy rain. Citizens and commuters on their way home in private and public transport trapped in massive traffic jam as the streets presenting the look of lakes and ponds. The rain was started after 3.00pm, when streets, roundabouts, underpasses were converted into the lakes and the commuters trapped in heavy traffic congestion. Hundreds of cars and motorcycles were stranded after they were sunk half under rain water. The CDGK Municipal Services Department, Works and Services Department had deployed strength of staffers, workers and City wardens to tackle any untoward situation but they were helpless in offering any help to the stranded citizens. Rescue services and police response during torrential rain was at zero level while mobile phone networks was also not working properly. Workers of factories and mills in Citys industrial areas and public sector especially women were seen in a bewildered situation because rickshaws and cabs were also absent from the streets. Hundreds of huts located in illegal settlements especially on the brinks of main drain canals such as Gujjar Nullah, Lyari River, Malir River and Orangi Town which are creating hurdles in clearing the main storm water drain. Areas that fall below the normal soil surface of the City including old City areas, Kharadar, Mithadar, Saddar, Essa Nagri, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, New Karachi old area, Godhra Camp, Burns Road, Nagan Chowrangi, Teen Hatti, Lasbella, Guru Mandir, Old Numaish, Cantt Station, Hassan Square, Civic Centre, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Lines Area, Keamari Town, Old Lyari areas, Nishtar Road, Soldier Bazar, Nazimabad, Sakhi Hassan, Golden Gate, and many other residential and commercial areas had entangled in flood water. The floods on streets provoked traffic gridlocks at almost every major corner of the City while these gridlocks manifested a commotion in certain areas including Saddar, Regal Chowk, Hassan Sqaure, Nagan Chowrangi, New MA Jinnah Road, II Chundrigar Road, Banaras Chowk, SITE, Old Golimar, Garden East, Soldier Bazar, Ram Swami, Guru Mandir, Patel Para, Anchloi, Liaquatabad, and others with hundreds of vehicles lined up in chain and the passengers inside without any chance to escape the agony. The storm rain also prevented congregations of Taraveeh and majority of the citizens could not go to mosques. Talking to The Nation, the resident of illegal spatial colony established on the brink of Gujjar Nullah around Teen Hatti, said that their lives become miserable during rain because rainwater entered their huts from ground as well as roof. Till the filing of this report, no extraordinary rescue work was started by the City and town administration due to Iftar time but thousands of stranded people going their homes without any help and most of them going by foot. An official of municipal services department when contacted told this correspondent that the cleanliness work could only be started when the rain would stop. PPI adds: Death toll in rain-related incidents swelled to nine, as five more people died in similiar conditions in city on Monday. A 22-year-old Abdul Razzaq died when he accidentially touched fallen electric wire Orangi Town. His body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital for legal formalities. According to police, he received electric shock as he passed through accumulating rainwater and touch naked fallen wire. He died on the spot. In another incident, a 16-year-old man, Abdul Manan, drowned in Nullah near Metro Cinema. A 22-year-old unknown man drowned in Rexer Nulah. Both incidents took place in limits of Pak Colony police station. Separately, a 30-year-old motorcyclist, identified as Shehbaz Rassol, son Allah Ditta, was knocked down to death by a speeding route W-21 bus in Defense Phase-6 area of Gizri police station. The duty officer at police station said bus (JE-5615) hit motorcycle (RNS-889) and ran over its rider. He died at the spot. Police impounded the vehicle and registered a case against bus driver, Arif Khanm, who managed to flee. A twenty-five-year-old man was crushed to death by an unknown hit-and-run vehicle near KMC Work Shop, sources at Civil Hospital Karachi said. However both the Risala and Nabi Bux police stations were unaware of the incident.