| Provincial metropolis receives 34mm rain resulting in massive traffic jams| Minister says ‘record’ rainfall a natural process| Drains overflow exposing tall claims of provincial,civic authorities

KARACHI           -          Don’t leave your homes unnecessarily, this is a natural calamity was a message conveyed to the Karachiities from the Sindh government on Monday when major areas of the city in districts central and east remained inundated due to moderate rainfall for the second consecutive day.

According to met official, Karachi on Monday received a maximum of 34.mm rain in Nazimabad, University Road/Jauhar (10.2mm), North Karachi (8.8mm), Karachi MOS (1.8mm), Jinnah Terminal (0.8mm), Surjani (0.4mm). Many other areas including Saddar, Landhi, and Gulshan-i-Hadeed did not receive any rain.

The Sindh government a day earlier claimed that it had cleaned all major thoroughfares after an above 80 mm rainfall in the city on Sunday.

However, after a maximum rainfall of 34 mm on Monday, Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah termed it an excess rainfall and a natural calamity during his visit to the parts of the city.

He said the record rainfall in the city is completely a natural process and the Sindh government has been implementing emergency measures for the last several months under a comprehensive and integrated policy in this regard.

Whether it was cleaning drains or devising a strategy for collective sacrifice, the Sindh government kept the elected local body leadership of the city on board at every opportunity.

“In today’s torrential rain, while the ministers of the Sindh government have been continuously serving the people since last night, some evil elements are merely slandering our character on their Twitter accounts and social media pages,” he was of the view.

“There is no doubt that the situation is not 100 percent ok but at least the Sindh government is in the field with its people in this difficult time.”

We have no hesitation in saying that if the Sindh government had not taken timely steps to clean the storm drains, the situation could have been even worse.

He appealed to the people not to leave their homes unnecessarily. “Stay away from electricity poles and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. The government of Sindh will not leave ground till problems of the people are resolved.”

Footages shared on social media showed drainwater overflowing from Nullahs in Orangi Town and Nazimabad, exposing tall claims of civic and provincial authorities of cleaning drain water storms in the business hub of the country.

It also showed the rainwater entering residential complexes and damaging infrastructure including vehicles.

Massive traffic jams were witnessed in North Nazimabad, KDA Chowrangi, Ziauddin Chowrangi, Karimabad, Hassan Square, Gharibabad, Liaquatabad, Gulbahar, Gulberg, Shahra-e-Pakistan, Sohrab Goth, Sakhi Hassan, University Road and other areas of the city.

The commuters were also forced to travel for hours on roads after their vehicles encountered mechanical issues.

Three electrocuted

At least three people were electrocuted in the city on Monday.

Two labourers were electrocuted in Mochko area of the city. According to details, four labourers were installing a suction pump to pump out water near a private godown, when they suffered an electric shock. Two of them died at the spot while the other two sustained minor injuries.

The bodies were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi to fulfill legal formalities.   In another incident, a 45-year-old man was electrocuted in Orangi Town’s Sector 11-1/2 while trying to turn on a motor.