Torrential rain coupled with gusty winds wreaked havoc on the city on Saturday, deluging roads and streets to nearly waist-deep level with a river-like flow of rainwater, and caused worst traffic jams all over the city. The longest spell of season's heaviest downpour turned the hot weather to pleasant but also inflicted miseries on the public, as sewerage system chocked, supply of electricity suspended and the life came to a standstill in the country's largest city.
Traffic chaos began taking place with the rainfall in the afternoon at about 2.30 pm, which continued until late in the evening worsening further, as more and more vehicles were trapped in the mess, while the traffic police's involvement badly lacked to run the traffic smoothly.
According to the Met Office, Saddar area of the city received 85 mm rainsfell for nearly one and a half hours; Landhi 52 mm; PAF Faisal 31 mm, Nazimabad 25 mm; Karachi Airport (Pehlwan Goth) 24 mm, Jinnah Terminal 18 mm, Gulistan-e-Johar 15, 8 mm, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 15 mm, North Karachi 3 mm and FAP Masroor 1 mm.
Commuters including women and children had to walk in knee-deep rainwater towards their destinations as buses and coaches in which they were travelling were caught in the ugliest vehicular traffic jams, as hundreds of vehicles remained unmoved on the main roads of the city for hours. The traffic disorder also severely affected the ambulance service. All underpasses in the city became pools and were rendered impassable for traffic.
Business Recorder Road, Guru Mandir, M A Jinnah Road, Empress Market Saddar, Regal, Lasbela, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Nomaish, Merewether Tower, Lee Market, M.T. Khan Road, Burns Road, Shahrae Faisal, Bahadur Abad, Tariq Road, I.I. Chundrigar Road, University Road, Drigh Road, PIDC and other such areas where a high volume of transportation moves were badly affected by the traffic jams. Cars, motorbikes, auto rickshaws and small sized vehicles were witnessed immediately after rain to generating engines troubles and several ceased to move. The public transport started reducing to ply, while dozens of people were stranded at various bus stops waiting for buses to reach their destination.
In some areas roadside parked cars were submerged to almost windscreen height and motorbikes to the fuel-tank level. Bikers were compelled to push their two-wheelers out of rainwater.
Hundreds of vehicles thronged petrol and CNG pumps in different parts of the metropolis to fill fuel and had to wait for long periods in long queues as power outages also disturbed the filling process. The city's fragile sewerage system again failed to respond to the downpour for being flawed, as rainwater continued to stream for hours, although the civic administration had cancelled holidays of the sanitary staff to meet any challenge.
Rain caused suspension to the business and commercial activities at markets and shopping centres, as it became difficult for traders to continue their daily activities amid rainwater flow and power outages. Buyers also left for homes in response to the roads deluge in rain.
The supply of fruit, vegetable, grain, meat, poultry, milk, sugar, wheat came to a standstill in the rain and afterwards for roads particularly in markets were inundated, while trading of wood, steel, plastic and hardwares, ceramics and paints, fans, power generators, and other items of daily use stopped. Sewerage system was chocked and condition of roads at several markets were bad, according to the traders, saying the civic authorities had failed to pump out rainwater there, which caused severe problems for them. The Met Office said that Karachi weather is expected to remain partly cloudy with chances of rain-thundershower during the next 24 hours with temperature level ranging between 36 degree centigrade and 38 degree centigrade.