Dust storm, rain takes Karachi by surprise

Dusty gales, moving at a maximum speed of 90 kilometres per hour, lashed several localities of the city

KARACHI: In an unexpected turn of events, a dust storm accompanied by heavy rain hit multiple areas of Karachi on Wednesday night, following which an emergency was declared at the airport. As many as 12 people were also injured as a result of the winds, while power outages and traffic jams were seen in various parts of the metropolis.

Dusty gales, moving at a maximum speed of 90 kilometres per hour, lashed several localities in the vicinity of the Super Highway, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Johar, uprooting trees and many tin roofs in their wake.

VIDEO: Amid the #Covid-19 pandemic, a dust storm wreaks havoc in #Karachi as strong winds lash different parts of the coastal city pic.twitter.com/FxJCBFoZm9

— The Express Tribune (@etribune) June 3, 2020

Meanwhile, with visibility reduced to 500 metres, small aircraft at the airport were shifted to another location and airport authorities mulled the possibility of diverting a private airline flight scheduled to land at 11pm.



According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the storm was triggered by the presence of a northwestern wind system in Balochistan, which had unexpectedly turned to Karachi.

The Met Office denied that the dust storm had any connection with a cyclone in Arabian Sea, clarifying that it had passed by the city at a distance of 750km.