KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has activated Rain Emergency Centres at its Karachi headquarters and all regional offices including Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, and Larkana.
These emergency canters will operate round the clock to respond promptly to any building-related emergencies caused by the rains.
The initiative comes under the directive of SBCA Director General Muhammad Ishaq Khuhro, who is personally monitoring the operations of these canters.
Each centre is staffed with technical teams working in three shifts to ensure 24-hour coverage. The teams are tasked with providing urgent technical support in collaboration with relevant government departments and rescue organizations in the event of any structural accidents, especially involving dilapidated buildings.
As part of its ongoing survey, the SBCA’s Committee on Dangerous Buildings, comprising experienced structural engineers has declared a total of 740 buildings across Sindh— including 588 in Karachi alone— as hazardous and uninhabitable.
The authority has issued fresh notices to the occupants of these buildings and launched a public awareness campaign, using loudspeakers and banners in affected areas to warn residents of the imminent risks. “With the structural foundations of many old buildings already compromised, the infiltration of rainwater increases the risk of partial or complete collapse,” the DG warned. “Electrical short circuits leading to fires are also a concern.”
In a humanitarian appeal, the SBCA has strongly urged all residents and users of such buildings to vacate them immediately to protect lives and property.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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