KARACHI: At least eight people dead in Karachi on Tuesday after intense monsoon showers battered the metropolis, flooding residential areas, crippling traffic, and triggering widespread power outages. The downpour forced Mayor Murtaza Wahab to declare a citywide rain emergency, placing all civic teams on alert.
Dark clouds enveloped Karachi by afternoon before heavy rain lashed several neighbourhoods, including Surjani Town, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Malir, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad, Federal B Area, and Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Streets and major intersections such as Hasan Square, Nipa Chowrangi, Korangi, Liaquatabad, and the Expressway were quickly submerged, leaving commuters stranded for hours. In Gulshan-e-Hadeed, floodwater entered homes, forcing residents to shift belongings to higher ground.
Rescue officials reported seven deaths in rain-related incidents. In Orangi Town, an eight-year-old boy died when a wall collapsed near Aqsa Mosque. In Gulistan-e-Jauhar, four members of a family lost their lives after a house wall gave way, while a child was injured. Another man, aged 28, also died in the same incident. Separately, a health department worker sustained a head injury when a parking shed caved in at the Sindh Secretariat during the storm.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded the heaviest rainfall at Gulshan-e-Hadeed with 145mm, followed by the old Karachi Airport area with 138mm, Keamari with 137mm, and Jinnah Terminal with 135mm. Other areas, including Surjani Town (111mm), North Karachi (108mm), Korangi (97mm), and Nazimabad (92mm), also witnessed significant showers.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed all departments to remain vigilant, ensure continuous drainage, and keep machinery active for water disposal. He urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and instructed traffic police to stay present at busy junctions to assist the public. Senior minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also appealed to residents to stay indoors until conditions improved, stressing that provincial and municipal authorities were working round-the-clock to clear storm drains and maintain emergency routes.
The torrential rains brought Karachi’s traffic system to a halt. Long tailbacks clogged Shahrah-e-Faisal, University Road, II Chundrigar Road, and several other arteries, with vehicles breaking down in deep water. DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah confirmed partial blockages across the city but said mobile workshops and police teams were deployed to assist commuters.
The city’s fragile power system collapsed once again, as over 600 feeders of K-Electric tripped, plunging vast areas into darkness. Outages were reported across Orangi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Korangi, Defence, Baldia, Surjani, and Nazimabad. Restoration was delayed due to waterlogging, underground faults, and safety concerns. K-Electric said power was deliberately cut in low-lying and high-risk areas to prevent accidents.
Authorities warned that further downpours could worsen flooding and power disruptions, urging residents to remain cautious during the ongoing monsoon spell.
