Four die of electrocution

Two days of rainfall exposes two years of preparedness

KARACHI:

At least four people died of electrocution as Karachi received intermittent rain with brief heavy spells on the second consecutive day on Saturday.

According to reports Sajjid Lodhi, 45, was electrocuted in Chapal Gali Light House, while Yaseen lost his life after receiving electric shock in his house located in Baldia’s Abidabad, Muhammad Sabir, 50, was electrocuted in Liaquatabad and a four-year-old girl, Tania lost her life when she touched an electric pole while playing outside her house in Clifton’s Rasool Shah Colony.

The chances of further heavy rains have become thin as the low-pressure system bringing heavy and moderate rains in the city has weakened, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said.

The low-pressure in the Bay of Bengal was further strengthened by the Arabian Sea which resulted in heavy and moderate rains in the city for the second day. On Saturday, heavy rains with thunderstorms lashed suburbs of the city including Gulshan-e-Hadid, Steel Town, Bin Qasim and Papri.

During the last two days, the highest rainfall of 148mm was recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadid.

According to Chief Meteorologist Karachi Sardar Sarfaraz, the weather system in the city has weakened considerably after which the heavy rains with thunder and lightning have become less likely. However, under the effects of the monsoon, there is a possibility of passing showers and drizzle during the next two days. A new low-pressure system is likely to enter Sindh from September 8.

Meanwhile, sources said several flights taking off from Jinnah International Airport were delayed due to rain. The delayed flights included PIA, Airblue, Emirates, AirSial, Serene and others. Airblue flights PA-204 and 206 for Islamabad and Lahore took off half an hour delay, PIA flight PK-308 to Islamabad and flight PK-588 to Bahawalpur were also delayed by half an hour.

One flight of Serene Air to Quetta and another of Sri Lankan Airlines were canceled. PIA flight PK-330 from Karachi to Multan was also delayed by 40 minutes. AirSial flight from Karachi to Lahore PF-143 was also delayed by 25 minutes. Emirates flight from Karachi to Dubai was also delayed by one hour.

The tall claims of authorities of having brought about improvements following urban flooding in 2019 and 2020 were washed away in only two days of downpour. Social media was flooded with videos and images of inundated roads and neighbourhoods from slums to posh localities exposing the performance of civic authorities.

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The areas of Ghareebabad, Rizvia Chorangi and Liaquatabad were flooded with rain water while the drainage was nowhere to be seen.Rainwater also accumulated in many localities of Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Shahra-e-Faisal and University Road.

Meanwhile, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Murtaza Wahab visited different areas of the city. He reviewed the drainage arrangements in the metropolis and directed the staff to remove water from roads immediately.

Regarding power outages, K-Electric said power supply of approximately 190 feeders has been interrupted. “We are monitoring the situation and will keep updating this space,” it said in a Twitter statement. The power company asked citizens to stay indoors and away from all electric infrastructure.

Multiple areas of Karachi face power outages after as many as 215 KE feeders tripped due to heavy rainfall in the metropolis on the second connective day.

According to details, the areas that reeled from power breakdown included Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulshan-e-Hadid, North Nazimabad, Surjani, Mangophir, Landi, Korangi, Saddar, Orangi, Baldia Town, FB Area, Defence, Mehmoodabad and Manzoor Colony, A spokesperson for the K-Electric said the feeders tripped due to heavy precipitation and electricity of some Karachi areas has been suspended as a safety precaution to avoid incidents due to electrocution.

with additional input by DNA

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2021.