The metropolitan city braved another day of chaos on Saturday as heavy monsoon showers unleashed urban flooding in several neighbourhoods, inundating low-lying areas, severely disrupting traffic flow, and exposing the fragility of the civic infrastructure.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Surjani Town received the heaviest rainfall at 58.2mm, followed by Saadi Town (47.5mm), Gulshan-e-Maymar (37.4mm), and Gulshan-e-Hadeed (37mm). Other affected areas included PAF Faisal Base (31mm), North Karachi (29.8mm), Jinnah Terminal (29.2mm), DHA (25.5mm), and Korangi (25.2mm).
The PMD has forecast relentless rainfall in Karachi through Monday, warning that moderate to heavy showers are likely in various parts of the city today (Sunday). Light, scattered rains may persist in the following days as the prevailing monsoon system remains active over southern Sindh.
Several major localities, including II Chundrigar Road, Clifton, Sohrab Goth, DHA, Malir, Saddar, and Jail Road, received intermittent rainfall throughout the day. However, inner-city and low-lying areas, particularly Liaquatabad, Surjani Town, North Karachi, Orangi Town, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, and sections of the Old City Zone, suffered extensive water accumulation. Residents said streets had turned into stagnant water pools, leading to difficulties in mobility and raising health concerns.
In North Karachi, an overflowing stormwater drain near Iqbal Plaza worsened the flooding situation. Meanwhile, roads near the Governor House and Defence Morr resembled flowing streams. In several neighbourhoods, open manholes and overflowing gutters spilled sewage onto the streets, creating sanitation issues and drawing sharp public criticism of the municipal administration's response.
Traffic on Sharae Faisal, Shahrah-e-Pakistan, and Rashid Minhas Road was severely disrupted, as rainwater slowed down movement and caused mechanical failures in dozens of vehicles. Motorcyclists and motorists faced immense difficulty navigating submerged roads, with some commuters forced to ride on rooftops of buses in flooded zones.
The PMD's Early Warning Centre further stated that strong monsoon currents are also affecting other parts of Sindh. Rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected in Jamshoro, Dadu, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Hyderabad, Matiari, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Naushero Feroze. Similar conditions are likely in Tharparkar, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, and Kashmore.
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