KARACHI: Heavy rain continued to pour late into Thursday night causing massive flooding on roads and streets, power breakdowns and at least nine deaths in rain-related incidents in the metropolis, ARY News reported.
The meteorological department said that the current monsoon spell is likely to weaken in the next 24 hours with the weather to remain fairly cloudy. There are good chances of rainfall with thunderstorm on Friday, the weather office statement said.
Massive flooding and widespread power outages caused by the downpour irked citizens. Rainwater remained accumulated on major thoroughfares and streets of the city, exposing creaky civic infrastructure.
At least nine people, including three children, lost their lives in rain-related electrocution and drowning incidents in the city.
According to rescue sources, two children drowned while taking bath in rainwater accumulated at an under-construction underpass in Punjab Colony. In another incident, a child drowned in storm water drain in the city’s North Karachi neighborhood.
Whereas, six people died in separate incidents of electrocution in Liaqatabad, North Nazimabad and Orangi.
Citizens had to sleep without electricity as power supply could not be restored in many areas of the city. Of 120 tripped power feeders, 60 still couldn’t be restored. The areas which were without powers for up to 20 hours included Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gadap, Korangi, North Karachi, Guru Mandir, Cosmopolitan Society, Federal B Area, and Water Pump.
Weather forecast
The meteorological department predicted that mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, more rain with thunderstorm and gusty winds is expected at scattered places in Hyderabad, Karachi, Mirpur Khas, Tharparkar, Shaheed Benazirabad divisions, while at isolated places in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu divisions, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Today’s forecast also warned against the risk of landslides in hilly areas of upper KP, including Malakand, Hazara divisions and Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
