Second wave of monsoons arrives, more rain expected

KARACHI: Tuesday afternoon was darker than usual in Karachi as the second wave of monsoons arrived.

“Heavy rain is expected in the next 12 hours after which lighter showers will follow,” said Riaz Ahmed, chief meteorologist. He said that the intensity of the rains will decrease over the next 24 hours in Karachi and other parts of Sindh and the department will keep in touch with the government to keep it informed about the situation.

According to the Karachi weather department, it rained in other parts of Sindh, including Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin and Tharparkar districts, as well. Showers started on Monday night and continued at intervals throughout Tuesday. The most rain was received in Landhi and Sharae Faisal Monday night at 39 millimetres (mm), while 38 mm of rainfall was recorded in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and 28 mm was recorded in the old city.

Five people were killed in rain-related accidents and at least a dozen others were reported injured in traffic accidents after the roads turned slippery, and in many cases flooded, with rainwater.

According to the weather department the city received 44 mm of rainfall by Tuesday morning while the clouds kept sending down more till late evening. It is expected that the clouds are here to stay for another three days, said the weather department.

The weather department’s forecast of three days of rain prompted the city administrator to declare an ‘emergency’ in the city. Despite preparations, several roads were inundated with water. Roads most affected included Sharae Faisal, Civic Centre, Nipa Chowrangi, Korangi, Saddar, Nazimabad and Liaquatabad, where around two feet of collected rainwater caused traffic jams and stalled vehicles. Clifton and DHA fared slightly better, except in some low-lying areas, as an extensive network of drains was laid earlier in the year.

As expected, a number of electricity feeders tripped in the rain, causing power outages in many areas. However, with the abundance of rainwater came a shortage of drinking water. Residents of several areas including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Lyari, were unable to get their share of drinking water from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. Meanwhile, the state of the roads also kept tankers away.

Deaths and accidents

A 53-year-old man, Talib Hussain, was electrocuted in Sher Shah. His body was taken to Civil hospital for medico-legal formalities. Another man, Jamilur Rehman was killed when he was hit by a live wire in Baldia Town.

Thirty-year-old Zaheer was also electrocuted in Qaim Khani Colony, while 26-year-old Abdullah was killed when he accidentally walked over broken live wires in a squatter settlement in Memon Goth. A 14-year-old boy, Rehman, was killed when the wall of his house in Ittehad Town, Mochko collapsed. His body was taken to Civil hospital but his family took it back without completing medico-legal procedures.

Motorcyclists slipped and sustained injuries on several roads including North Karachi UP Morr, Water Pump roundabout, Ayesha Manzil, Nazimabad flyover, Lasbela Chowk and Sharae Faisal Star Gate. The injured were taken to different hospitals for treatment.

In other parts of Sindh, the light rains were welcomed for standing crops of sugar, rice and vegetables and people welcomed the drop in temperatures.

Grave problem

Several people who wished to visit their relatives’ graves on Shab-e-Barat were unable to do because most of the graveyards in the city were inundated with rainwater.

Cemeteries that were flooded with rain included Mewa Shah, Gharibabad, Tariq Road, and Sakhi Hassan.

It’s the local administration’s fault, said Irfan, one of the visitors who suffered the aftereffects of the heavy rainfall when he tried to enter Mewa Shah graveyard.

With additional reporting by agencies

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2010.