KARACHI: It rained cats and dogs in Karachi on Monday, plunging the city into near civic collapse as torrential downpours left much of the metropolis flooded, electricity suspended, and communications disrupted, with authorities warning of further heavy showers until August 22.
Roads and streets across the city turned into water channels as sewage overflow mixed into the floodwater, leaving behind layers of muck. Cars and motorbikes were stranded or half-submerged, while pedestrians waded through waist-high water to safety. Entire neighbourhoods were cut off, traffic stood still, and people struggled to reach homes and workplaces.
Large parts of Karachi plunged into darkness as power feeders tripped and remained suspended for hours. Complaints of prolonged outages poured in from almost every town, while cellular and internet services also broke down, leaving residents unable to reach families or seek help. Civic officials described the situation as “calamity-like,” with relief teams and local volunteers stretched beyond capacity.
Amid the chaos, the authorities announced closure of all government and private schools in Karachi for Wednesday. The misery was reflected in personal accounts, including one by a local woman journalist, Maria Ismail, who wrote on social media: “I walked from Press Club to Lyari on foot. The water was so deep that I felt like crossing a river. No municipal staffs was seen working, even though they had been informed that heavy rain had already fallen.”
Karachi flooded by heavy rains; forces market closures, power outages
The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded extraordinary rainfall across the city. Gulshan-e-Hadeed topped with 145.0 mm in 24 hours, followed by Airport Old Area with 138.0 mm, Keamari 137.0 mm, Jinnah Terminal 135.0 mm, Met Office University Road 132.0 mm, DHA Phase VII 121.0 mm, Surjani Town 111.2 mm, North Karachi 108.4 mm, and PAF Faisal Base 114.0 mm. Other figures included Gulshan-e-Maymar 75.2 mm, Nazimabad 92.0 mm, Korangi 96.6 mm, Orangi Town 66.2 mm, Saadi Town 24.0 mm, PAF Masroor Base 75.0 mm, and Behria Town 4.8 mm.
The Met Office has forecast more widespread rain-wind/thundershowers, with scattered heavy to very heavy falls in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Shaheed Benazirabad between August 19 and 22. Northern and south-eastern parts of Balochistan, including Gwadar, Kech, Khuzdar, Sibi, Zhob, Panjgur, Barkhan, and Musakhel, are also on alert for flash floods. Isolated showers are expected in Islamabad, upper Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Authorities warned the heavy rains may cause fresh urban flooding in low-lying Karachi neighbourhoods and damage weak structures including kacha houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles, and solar panels. All deputy commissioners, district disaster management authorities, and civic stakeholders across Sindh have been directed to remain on high alert round the clock and adopt proactive measures.
Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani contacted town chairmen and municipal commissioners, instructing them to immediately clear major arteries on an emergency basis before moving to smaller streets and neighbourhoods. He ordered cancellation of all municipal staff leave, directing workers to focus on drainage, while advising citizens to restrict movement, avoid electricity poles, and remain cautious. He said some sewerage pumping stations had stopped due to K-Electric shutdowns but were being run on generators as an alternate.
Adding to the relief effort, Alkhidmat Karachi placed its Disaster Management Cell and volunteers on alert across the city. Teams assisted stranded commuters, cleared traffic bottlenecks, restarted motorcycles stuck in rainwater, and rescued vehicles on New M.A. Jinnah Road, Jail Chowrangi, and University Road. Executive Director Rashid Qureshi said: “The city is facing an urban flooding situation. People have been trapped and hundreds of vehicles stranded, but our volunteers have risen to the occasion.” He urged citizens to stay cautious and keep away from electrical appliances during rains.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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