Urban flooding hits DHA amid Karachi downpour

Spokesperson says situation under control at Khyaban-e-Shahbaz-Popular Avenue crossing

KARACHI:

Due to a heavy rainfall, urban flooding situation arose at the Khayaban-e-Shahbaz in Karachi’s upscale Defence Housing Authority (DHA) neighbourhood on Friday.

A video of rain water accumulated on the roads adjacent to Khayaban-e-Shahbaz went viral on social media.

However, when contacted, the DHA spokesperson told The Express Tribune that the urban flooding was not in the entire Khayaban-e-Shahbaz area, rather rainwater collected only at the Popular Avenue crossing on thoroughfare, which has been cleared to a large extent.

According to the DHA spokesperson, a mega drainage project called the Storm Water Drainage was developing at a fast pace. Currently in the second phase, the project will resolve the problem of urban flooding in future.

Also read: Moderate to heavy rain lashes different parts of Karachi

Meanwhile, DHA mobile rescue teams, information centre and relief centres were set up to deal with the rain situation, the spokeperson said, adding that while all the staff under Helpline 1092 were present on the roads throughout the day for the assistance of the residents.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, 40.5 mm of rain was recorded in parts of Defence Housing Authority, as per the rain observatory installed in DHA Phase II.