Two children drowned, while a search operation for five people was underway on Thursday afternoon after a car was swept away by a flash flood into Karachi's Malir River Wednesday night.

According to a statement issued by the Memon Goth police, a Toyota Corolla, having registration number BGV-765 and carrying seven people including the driver, was swept away in the river at 8:30pm yesterday.

"Today, the car has been pulled out of the nadi (river) while the search for missing persons is underway," the statement said, adding that the search operation was being jointly carried out by police and rescue teams.

The spokesperson of the Edhi Foundation told Dawn.com that the body of Mohammed Moosa, 10, and Hamna, 7, had been recovered.

Saad Edhi, the foundation's senior official, said that rescue teams were facing difficulties in tracing the drowned persons because of the water flow.

Meanwhile, Memon Goth Station House Officer Ateeq Rehman said that the family was visiting Karachi from Hyderabad to attend a wedding ceremony. "They were returning to Hyderabad when they reportedly drowned," he told Dawn.com.

Separately, Amjad Jan Brohi, a resident of nearby Dumloti-6, said the car was found floating in the Malir River in the Nabi Bux Bikak area.

"But the family could not be located," he told Dawn.com, adding that the missing persons' relatives had also joined rescue efforts.

Quoting their relatives, he said a family of six, including a couple and their four children, and a driver were travelling in the car. They have been identified as Mohammed Zeeshan Ansari, Rabia, Hamna, Ebad, Mohammed Moosa, and Ayan and their driver, Abdul Rehman.

The link road's bridge that is usually taken by vehicles travelling on this route has been closed due to its dilapidated condition, he said, adding that a causeway had been built for commuters as an alternative.

However, the causeway was flooded due to heavy rain on Wednesday and hence, the car was swept away.

Due to heavy rains on Wednesday evening, the causeway was overflowing when the heavy flow of water swept away the car along with the family, said Brohi.

While the search for the missing people was underway, Sindh Social Welfare Minister Sajid Jokhio and Malir Deputy Commissioner Irfan Salam also visited the site to oversee the operation.

Talking to reporters, he revealed that another man had drowned in the river yesterday while crossing it.

Jokhio asked the administration to remain alert and ordered that the people living on the banks of the river be immediately moved to safer locations.

Five die in Karachi rain

Separately, five people, including two children, lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Karachi on Thursday, police and rescue services said.

Super Market police said that the body of Sahib Shah, 14, was recovered from the Gujar nullah in Liaquatabad. It was recovered and moved to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal proceedings.

A man, Murad Ali, 35, was electrocuted while working at a building under construction near the Rangers Headquarters in Baloch Colony, according to police and Edhi Foundation. The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Hospital.

Fifteen-year-old Noor also died from electrocution near the Ibrahim Masjid in New Nazimabad. The Manghopir police said his body was moved to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Rain lashed several areas of Karachi today and is expected to last throughout this week after a new pressure system from India entered Sindh yesterday.

PM Sehbaz directs NDMA, PDMA to pace up relief activities in flood-hit Sindh

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to carry out active relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas of southern Sindh.

The premier expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by the monsoon rains.

He directed the authorities to ensure rescue of the people on a priority basis and directed to provide financial assistance of Rs50,000 to each family.

The PM stressed the speedy provision of food, clean water, and medicines to the victims

Furthermore, he instructed the authorities concerned to be vigilant in the wake of potential rain season and flooding besides take necessary measures in this regard.