KARACHI – A torrential downpour in Pakistan’s biggest city, Karachi led to 19 deaths as a maximum of 41 millimeters of rainfall was recorded late Monday night.
The rain, rare of its kind, at least for residents of Metropolis wreaked havoc on the power supply system and municipal infrastructure as electrocution, falling billboard and roof collapse incidents were reported.
There was no official word on the exact death toll from any government department but the figures of casualties available with hospitals and rescue services of Edhi and Chhipa suggested that a total of 19 people including women and children died in rain-related incidents.
Most of the victims died from electrocution. They included Ruqayya Khatoon, 35, who died in the Rasheedabad area of Khawaja Ajmer Nagri; Fatima Wali Mohammad, 45, in North Nazimabad; Kaleemullah, 45, in Bhangoria Goth area of Azizabad; Aslam, 22, in Madinah Colony area of New Karachi; and Ghulam Mohammad, 45, in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 18.
A 14-year-old boy died while two others were left injured at the cattle market along the Superhighway when a huge billboard fell on them.
Another reason for casualties was roof collapse as 56-year-old Manzoor died when the roof of his house, situated in Jamali Goth area, off the Superhighway, came down.
A similar incident was reported in Kaneez Fatima Society where a man, in his late 30s, died after the roof of his house caved in.
Another house collapsed in the Metroville area of SITE leaving two of its residents dead.
The Sindh Building Control Authority had set up an emergency centre where technically qualified staffers along with required emergency equipment were present 24/7 to provide assistance in case of collapse of any building.
SBCA chief Agha Maqsood Abbas urged the people to approach the centre on telephone number 99232354 in case of any emergency.
He said there were around 340 dangerous buildings in the metropolis and around 100 dilapidated structures in other parts of the province. Any of them could fall any time, he said, adding that those buildings were even more vulnerable during the rains.
Weather Forecast
The Met Department has forecast partly cloudy to cloudy weather with chances of rain and thundershowers for Karachi with maximum temperature expected to remain between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday (today).
Social Media Reacts to Showers
The Karachiites which otherwise go gaga over showers appeared a bit perturbed after recent spree of rain due to intense nature and lightening.
Pictures and videos posted on social media depict the extent to which the routine life was disturbed owing to rain coupled with gusty winds.
https://twitter.com/SyedRezaMehdi/status/900045575449706496
https://twitter.com/Dadi_Aik_Minute/status/900248734369554432
https://twitter.com/syedazaidi98/status/900253582578069504
https://twitter.com/TheMubahSoleja/status/900054321831845890
