Skies open up as Karachi experiences first monsoon shower

Rain puts a damper on Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas residents’ Eid holidays

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Though the port city remained relatively dry during the Eid holidays, the skies opened up on Wednesday, the third day of Eid with thunder, lightning and a downpour. In the first three hours of the rain, 19 millimetres was recorded.

Keeping in line with earlier Pakistan Meteorological Department predictions, the city experienced its first monsoon shower. This was coupled with inevitable power outages across the city, as 400 K-Electric (K-E) feeders tripped. Representatives of the power utility said work to resume power supply would begin once the rain stopped.

Power supply to most areas of the city was suspended during the rainfall. These areas included Malir, Korangi, areas surrounding the airport, Saddar, Keamari and Landhi, Nazimabad, North Karachi, Buffer Zone Liaqatabad, Federal B Area and North Nazimabad, according to the utility. However, according to K-E, majority of the affected feeders were re-energised within a few hours after rain.



K-E also issued an advisory for residents, urging them to take safety precautions for themselves and their families during the rain.
Rain first hit the eastern side of the city, with Steel Town, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, the area surrounding the airport, Sharae Faisal’s surrounding areas, Drigh Road and Korangi experiencing the first drops of monsoon rain.

Power at Dhabeji Pumping Station and the airport has been restored, according to the utility. "Following the rain forecast, K-E staff ensured strict vigilance and strengthened its on-ground work force to ensure a swift and seamless restoration process. The power utility also maintained close coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority, the Pakistan Meteorological Department and the city administration to extend effective support," said the spokesperson.

The Karachi traffic police also issued an advisory, informing citizens of the perils of driving in the rain.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said a rain emergency should be imposed in the city. He extended his full support to the district municipal corporations and other departments and said they need to inform him of their requirements. All municipal authorities should focus on drainage, he said, adding that the deputy mayor should focus on the issue and inform the Sindh government of his requirements to make the city safe.



He urged the district municipal corporations to ensure that smaller drains are cleaned and also directed traffic police to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Shah also ordered the health department to remain on high alert in case of any rain-related emergencies.

Four people died in the city after being electrocuted in Keamari, Orangi, Sher Shah and Lyari respectively.

The water level in the Hub Dam is also expected to rise.

Raining on their parade

Scattered light pre-monsoon showers poured down in the districts of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas division. The light showers started past midnight on Wednesday.

However, Benazirabad district received a moderately heavy downpour with the meteorological department recording 26 millimetres of rain. Hyderabad received only 2mm.



The Meteorological department has forecast isolated heavy rainfall in lower Sindh up till today (Thursday). The rain brought a marginal decrease in the mercury, as the Met department recorded the highest temperature of 38°Celsius in Dadu district and the lowest at 34°C in Tharparkar’s Mithi taluka. In Hyderabad, mercury peaked at 37° Celsius on Wednesday.

In a letter dated June 27, Hyderabad Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo directed the concerned authorities to prepare to deal with any rain-related emergencies in the area.

The letter was addressed to the deputy commissioners of nine districts of Hyderabad division, the health director-general, local government director and municipal and irrigation officials. “... direct the staff of the concerned departments to report back for duty who are on Eid holidays,” the letter reads.



Meanwhile, unscheduled and prolonged power outages accompanied the rain in the region powered by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco). Complaints about outages continued to pour in from the first day of Eid and prior to the rainfall.

In Hyderabad, residents of Hali Road held a sit-in demonstration on the railway track, blocking the Punjab-bound Allama Iqbal Express. The same day, residents of Tando Jam town blocked the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Road in protest against the company.

Similar protests were also held in Thatta, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and other districts on the first and second days of Eid. However, Hesco Spokesperson Sadiq Kubar denied the widespread outages. “Due to overloading, power failure [occurred] in some areas for one to two hours,” he claimed, without specifying the number of areas in the region that consists of 13 districts and three administrative divisions of Sindh.



According to him, the power supply demand rose to 1,000 megawatts during the Eid holidays. “Because everybody [was] at home and enjoying Eid holidays,” he said explaining the reason for the sudden surge in the electricity demand.

Hesco’s power demand peak at around 1,000MW during the summer. It is, however, unclear why the demand remained unchanged when the power consumption by the industrial, commercial and official consumers remained lowest due to Eid holidays.