Karachi: The metropolis remained waterlogged on Wednesday, a day after torrential rains paralysed the city, inundating major roads, triggering urban flooding, and leaving at least 10 people dead in rain-related incidents.
Large sections of the city continued to face severe drainage issues, with stagnant water on I.I. Chundrigar Road, Tower, Baloch Colony, Arts Council Road, Saddar, Lucky Star, Haqqani Chowk, and the Old City area. Roads near Aiwan-i-Sadr, M.R. Kiyani Road, Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Malir, Quaidabad, and Natha Khan also remained inundated, causing traffic disruptions.
On Tuesday, Karachi came under the grip of a powerful monsoon system that flooded arterial roads and inner streets, stranding vehicles in waist-deep water and causing traffic gridlocks for hours. Localities including Gulshan-i-Maymar, Water Pump, Ayesha Manzil, North Karachi, Surjani Town, Guru Mandir, Lasbela, Saddar, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, and Hyderi were among the worst hit.
In Gulshan-i-Hadeed, a one-hour spell flooded streets and seeped into homes, forcing residents to shift belongings. Other busy roads — including Hasan Square, NIPA, Liaquatabad No. 10, Jail Chowrangi, Karsaz, Korangi, and the Expressway — were also submerged.
The downpour exposed the fragility of Karachi’s infrastructure. Ceilings at the Sindh High Court leaked, while a parking shed collapsed at the Sindh Secretariat, prompting emergency rescues.
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The rains also brought tragedy. A motorcyclist was electrocuted near Gizri Bridge, while rescue workers recovered the body of a man who drowned in a drain near Gurumandir after hours-long efforts. Authorities later confirmed at least 10 rain-related fatalities.
Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab visited the stormwater drain from Shaheen Complex to Hijrat Colony and said efforts were underway to restore drainage in areas surrounding the Sindh High Court, Secretariat, and Arts Council. He later inspected Zaibunnisa Street in Saddar, confirming it had been cleared of rainwater.
Sindh Rehabilitation Minister Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman also visited the Rescue 1122 headquarters, directing teams to stay on high alert. Rescue 1122 reported evacuating 30 trapped people from a flooded call centre office in PECHS Society. Meanwhile, the Drigh Road underpass leading to the Airport was submerged, disrupting traffic.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned of more rainfall in Karachi and other Sindh districts, including Hyderabad, Sukkur, Ghotki, Dadu, Larkana, Jacobabad, and Mirpurkhas.
According to PMD, Gulshan-i-Hadeed recorded 145mm of rain, followed by 138mm at Airport Old Area, 137mm at University Road, 132mm at Jinnah Terminal, 123mm at Saadi Town, 114mm at Sharea Faisal, and 111mm at the Airport.
