Heavy rainfall disrupts flight operation at Karachi airport

KARACHI: The flight schedule was disrupted at Jinnah International Airport Karachi due to rough weather and heavy rainfall, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the suspension of a number of its flights on Thursday due to torrential rains in the port city.

A Lahore-bound private airline flight-522 and Islamabad bound PK-368 flight have been delayed, said the CAA spokesperson.

Moreover, Karachi to Faisalabad flight PK-540 and Lahore-bound Pakistan International Airline (PIA)flight PK-304 have also been delayed.

It is pertinent to mention here that heavy monsoon rains battered large swathes of the metropolis on Thursday, inundating major roads and low-lying areas and causing severe traffic jams on several major arteries of the city.

Commuters waded through knee-deep waters, chest-deep in som areas, as vehicles were submerged with torrential rains adding to traffic woes. Power outages were also witnessed in many areas as K-Electric’s feeders tripped, suspending power supply.

Many areas, including North Karachi, North Nazimabad, Hyderi, Power House Chowrangi, Manzoor Colony, Sakhi Hassan, Nagan Chowrangi, and KDA Chowrang completely submerged, while several underpasses were closed to all sorts of traffic after rainwater accumulated there.

The Korangi Causeway has also been closed because of overflowing Malir River, due to which traffic was diverted towards Sadiq Bridge, causing severe traffic jams in the area.