KARACHI: Five more people died, three of them from electrocution, as the city continued to receive intermittent rains on the third successive day on Tuesday.

The regular life activities of most Karachiites remained severely affected due to overflowing sewerage lines in almost all residential localities, flooding of several areas and accumulation of rainwater in all districts as clearing major roads was the focus of city administration.

Although Tuesday’s showers didn’t last long and poured over only a few localities, it continued to cause damage and fatal incidents.

The Met department warned that the fresh spell could stay till Wednesday and would start to weaken by Thursday (tomorrow).

Scattered showers expected today; many city streets still impassable despite low intensity of rain

Three die from electrocution

Five more persons died, including three from electrocution, in different parts of the city on Tuesday.

Police said a factory worker suffered an electric shock in New Karachi, Sector-16-B and died.

The Gabol Town police said that Zulfiqar, 35, was working in a plastic company when he electrocuted. The body was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital to fulfil medico-legal formalities.

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed said that the body of Mohammad Arshad, 32, was brought from Qaimkhani Colony in Saeedabad to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. She said that the cause of death was electrocution.

She said another person, identified as Usman Amin, 23, suffered an electric shock near Bilal Colony, Korangi, and died. The body was brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for completing medico-legal formalities.

Two drown

A man drowned in a drain at Sahki Hasan Chowrangi on Tuesday evening.

The Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police and rescue services said that two persons fell in an unfenced nullah Talib Chaman Park. Edhi divers recovered the body of a man and rescued another person. They were shifted to the ASH, where the deceased wasa identified as Junaid, 32.

The police claimed that the victims were ‘drug addicts’.

In another incident, a young man drowned in the Malir river in Salih Mohammed Goth near Malok hotel. Edhi divers recovered the body. He was identified as Shahzeb, 25.

Rain affects traffic flow

Meanwhile, the traffic police said that continued rains led to flooding of several roads that disturbed the smooth flow of traffic on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Karachi traffic police said that because of accumulation of rainwater on Superhighway, traffic flow from New Sabzi Mandi towards Toll Plaza was adversely affected.

Heavy rains also damaged roads and a big crater was created on National Highway near Manzil Pump. A trailer fell in the ditch forcing the traffic police to divert vehicular traffic to alternative routes.

A pothole has also been developed at a bridge on the Malir river due to accumulation of rainwater.

The spokesperson said that there were at least 35 spots in different parts of the metropolis where accumulated rainwater hindered smooth flow of traffic.

Korangi, Saddar receive highest rainfall

The city witnessed light to moderate rains in different parts of the city in the first half of the day.

By 5pm the Met office recorded 19.5 millimetre rains in Korangi followed by Saddar that received 12mm.

“Monsoon rains likely to continue during the week and weaken in Sindh from July 28,” said a brief statement by the Met office.

It added that by July 27 Karachi and other parts of Sindh, including Tharparkar, Umarkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allayar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Shikarpur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Ghotki and Kashmore districts are likely to receive widespread rain-wind/thunderstorms with scattered heavy/very heavy falls.

Although there was no major rain on Tuesday, the city was still reeling from the damages of ‘very heavy’ Sunday rains and several areas of the city did not get normal even after 72 hours.

The main reason is accumulated rainwater in streets and overflowing sewage in most city districts.

The city administration was trying to clear major roads but fell short of paying attention to residential areas of Karachi.

In South district, Kharadar, Saddar, Ramswami and many other areas have become unliveable due to sewage on roads and solid waste.

The situation remained same in Korangi, East, West, and Central districts.

Moreover, the already frail infrastructures of the city destroyed by the heavy rains were in process of repairing, adding miseries to life of citizens.

The residents of Korangi, Korangi Industrial Area and Landhi were left with no option but to travel on the vulnerable Jam Sadiq Bridge to go to main city areas after Korangi Causeway was damaged in rains. The causeway is yet to be made commutable.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2022