Water, water everywhere: Karachi, Hyderabad struggle to stay afloat after two days of rain
Roads flooded, people stranded, homes damaged — citizens hope for miracle as rains wash away government's rhetoric.
Dawn.com
Published
August 25, 2020
Heavy rain lashed Karachi and other districts of Sindh for the second day in a row, submerging many low-lying areas and forcing the provincial government to declare a rain emergency.
As has become the norm, the rainwater flooded streets and even major thoroughfares in the port city, causing damage to hundreds of vehicles besides other infrastructure in these areas.
Header image: A man stands outside his cabin on a flooded street in Karachi during the heavy downpour on Tuesday, August 25. — Reuters
Comments (54) Closed
Ali Mehdi
Aug 25, 2020 09:58pm
Not an iota of shame remains in the Sindh government. It happens every year n the same shock n helplessness is demonstrated by the government. What an act.
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Critic
Aug 25, 2020 09:58pm
A true picture of how much govt cares about common people. Nothing will change without mass protests outside zardari/ Bilawal house.
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Critic
Aug 25, 2020 09:59pm
A true picture of how much PPP govt cares about Karachi and people of Sindh
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Critic
Aug 25, 2020 10:00pm
without protests nothing changes.
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Sare Jahan se achcha
Aug 25, 2020 10:01pm
And they were writing about floods in Delhi. We are just on different sides of the same coin.
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Zeeshan
Aug 25, 2020 10:17pm
Pakistan khappay
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Accountability
Aug 25, 2020 10:27pm
Thank you PPP and MQM people for destroying a beautiful city of Karachi. Can you explain where all the money collected from Karachi tax payers went? It certainly did not improve infrastructure, roads and water drainage of the city.
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DesiDesi
Aug 25, 2020 10:56pm
Swarms of Flies coming Next.
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AZAM AKBAR
Aug 25, 2020 11:00pm
Heartiest Congratulations to the corrupt chief minister of Sindh and corrupt PPP.
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SA
Aug 25, 2020 11:02pm
welcome to naya Pakistan
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Ahmad
Aug 25, 2020 11:06pm
Shame on Sindh Goverment and all ministers,
and CM Sindh and PM of Pakistan are also responsible
for this mess.
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CT Rao
Aug 25, 2020 11:31pm
Who said there is water problem in Pakistan
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Asif Ali
Aug 25, 2020 11:42pm
Prayers will work.
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kashif Alam
Aug 25, 2020 11:44pm
Lack of planning and sincerity on the part of local as well as provincial governments have caused great damage to the two major cities of sindh.I wish rain were more of a blessing than a curse
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RAja Raman
Aug 26, 2020 12:04am
Central Govt should pitch in and help Karachi. Citizens of Karachi pay more tax than any city. PTI Govt has least contributed for Karachi development.
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audifan
Aug 26, 2020 12:14am
In the West there is a saying - "you can't avoid death or taxation". In Pakistan you can't avoid corruption, floods, and politicians saying they can fix everything with a wave of their wand.
Fixing the annual flood of Karachi has always been fixable - it just take money/determination and likely taking money away from politically influential including the military. That's why Karachi continues to be flooded.
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Naxalite
Aug 26, 2020 12:24am
Go PPP Go!
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British Pakistani
Aug 26, 2020 12:49am
@kashif Alam, rain is a blessing governance is a curse
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NACParis
Aug 26, 2020 01:00am
@kashif Alam, Corruption is the result of all this and yet same people will vote for PPP/MQM. The only blessing could be reduction in Covid cases due to rain washing away the virus
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amer
Aug 26, 2020 01:53am
Thank you PPP and MQM for the great service you provided. Also thank the citizens who voted for them. Please keep up the good work.
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Mir
Aug 26, 2020 02:10am
Latifabad unit 2 always need motor boats for rescue. It’s a natural phenomenon since more then half a century
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Syed A. Mateen
Aug 26, 2020 02:37am
SIndh govt. has completely failed to face monsoon season of 2020.
This has not happened for first time in Karachi and other areas of Sindh but this is going on for last twelve years since PPP came into power in Sindh.
Thanks to PM Imran Khan who took notice and asked NDMA to clean Nullahs whereafter work has resumed
COAS has asked jawans of army to rescue the affected people.
Can any one tell me as what is the use of PPP govt. to remain in power when it cannot do any thing in Sindh province.
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chacha
Aug 26, 2020 03:17am
Sad to see all the displacement and destruction
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S Thapa
Aug 26, 2020 05:30am
@Asif Ali, hope they work, nothing else seems to be working.
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J.K.
Aug 26, 2020 05:42am
I am sitting here in gulshan e shamim, FB Area, Karachi and there ain't no issue here, it happen in block 10, outskirts of sadar town, lyari, some korangy areas and other kachi abadi, to be honest it cause by illegal settlements, once that issue get resolved that flood issue also get resolved along with it
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MoriRo
Aug 26, 2020 07:36am
Cyclones had touched Sindh's caostal towns and cities in the past...Two days Rains have disrupted routine life in Karachi.
What will happen if some day Tsunami hit the coastal cities of Sindh Thatta and Karachi?
Concerned authorities must train themselves and develop capacity for coping such worst emergencies of future...
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Wolf
Aug 26, 2020 07:52am
@kashif Alam, It is not just the government but ordinary people live public works engineers who were paid and trusted with multi millions rupees to maintain our waterways betrayed us.
Nature's revenge - same people who betrayed us are also in same miserable condition as we ordinary are!
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Aman Raza Khan
Aug 26, 2020 07:53am
Naya Pakistan.
IK reverse swung Karachi and made it into Venice.
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Syed Qutub
Aug 26, 2020 08:26am
@Asif Ali, we have been praying for over 70 years...
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Abdullah
Aug 26, 2020 08:49am
Everybody now remembering Syed Mustafa Kamal for his brilliant era served as the 2nd best mayor of tje world where heavy rains were to enjoy 12 years back, Salute to his dedication, Karachi needs Mustafa Kamal experience to be utilized for betterment, all stake holders should atleast involve him to get his talent used, please nations should not waste good talents
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Nick, NY
Aug 26, 2020 08:54am
Eventually the Wadera's dreams came true...Karachi has gone under....
Where is Imran Khan...PTI...no where to be seen...?
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Mir
Aug 26, 2020 09:23am
@Abdullah, It is the payback time due o his era's poorly design construction projects with no options for drainage/sewage in all concrete structures all over the city!
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Cricket Fan
Aug 26, 2020 09:51am
Salute to that Aunty who was preparing food for her family even in this worst condition.
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INDEPENDENT
Aug 26, 2020 09:52am
@Aman Raza Khan, IK cannot be blamed for this chaos. It is due to poor performance by PPP and MQM. PPP and MQM have ruined Sindh.
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Mir
Aug 26, 2020 09:57am
@Ali Mehdi, Waderas and Karachi are oxymoron!
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INDEPENDENT
Aug 26, 2020 10:02am
@Nick, NY, Karachi is under water because of PPP and MQM.
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Muqali Khan
Aug 26, 2020 10:03am
Nothing has changed since independence except corruption at all levels.
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Hussain
Aug 26, 2020 10:12am
when Govt. does not work for last 12 Years.
All (PPP, MQM & PTI) are equal Share.
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Mudasar
Aug 26, 2020 10:22am
I know how difficult was it to pass through railway station of hydrabad , i swear i will never go again in my life , shame on sindh government also the staff of railway station thry will never listen you questions .. and i request the officials of ministry of railway please visit hydrabad railway station , i swear a normal human will never wishes to go there .......
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Mudasar
Aug 26, 2020 10:25am
Hydrabad and karachi two big cities of sindh and also Pakistan's major economy zones have remained in that states for long years . What a shame ....
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Masood A. Khan
Aug 26, 2020 10:33am
Where is Mustafa Kamal ? Imran Khan, either bring him back or bring Marshall Law.
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A D Bux
Aug 26, 2020 10:39am
@INDEPENDENT , What IK has done for Karachi during past two years, zero, zilch...whereas PTI MNAs and MPAs have quadrupled their assets!
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Akhter
Aug 26, 2020 10:40am
@Cricket Fan, Our women are the silent heroes of all crises!
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John
Aug 26, 2020 10:42am
@Mudasar, Why Army and Navy are slow to help? No photos of help?
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Riaz
Aug 26, 2020 11:01am
this is due to climate changes so now need to grow more and more trees instead of protest save this planet and make it sure everyone to grow a tree to save our children from these dangerous floods.
This is the only solution so don't cut the trees please please and please.
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ON .
Aug 26, 2020 11:21am
Had India allowed water to flow in Ravi, no one would have encroached the river. India is responsible for this chaos
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ON .
Aug 26, 2020 11:23am
@Sare Jahan se achcha, water don't clog for a month in Delhi
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SAB
Aug 26, 2020 12:10pm
Everybody is angry, rightly so. But the thing to keep in mind is that issues/problems of unplanned urbanization takes a lot of effort, planning and efficient implementation to resolve. There is no silver bullet.
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Jojo
Aug 26, 2020 12:53pm
F1 racing championship should be conducted on such lovely roads !
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bkt
Aug 26, 2020 02:06pm
@Abdullah, The work was done by Naimatullah and not Mustafa Kemal. In 2006 Karachi was hit by rains and the city was flooded all over by Mustafa Kemal did nothing about all the water. He took most of the credit for work done by someone else.
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bkt
Aug 26, 2020 02:11pm
The shame is that Karachi contributes more in revenue to run this country than the whole country put together. It is the responsibility of the whole country to help out Karachi because if it sinks, the country cannot survive. Who will pay to run Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Faisalabad and the armed forces if Karachi stops? The people in other provinces have to sit up and do something for Karachi instead of taking from it all the time.
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Kaz
Aug 26, 2020 04:48pm
This is what happens when you have no refuse disposal system, no proper sewage and drainage system, when you cut down the mangroves, you cut down the trees and vegetation and have untrammelled development without any restrictions.
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MJ
Aug 26, 2020 08:42pm
If Sindh government sows rice in this water, will get a good harvest.
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AKL
Aug 26, 2020 08:55pm
Why is a cantonment never flooded. Same measures should be taken everywhere
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