Spring surprises: Traffic jams dampen the mood as rain floods the roads
Low pressure system, Western Disturbance, enters Sindh Coastal Areas from Balochistan.
After the rain on Monday morning, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation workers clear the main road in Guru Mandir. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Karachi’ites were taken by surprise on Monday morning when heavy downpour started around 9:15am and went for more than an hour.
According to the Karachi metrological department, a low pressure system called Western Disturbance, which was active in the coastal areas of Balochistan a day earlier, entered the Sindh Coastal Areas, causing heavy and light rains in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Maximum rainfall recorded by the department was 28 millimetre in Saddar and 25 millimetre at Shahra-e-Faisal. Around 22 millimetre rainfall was recorded from Hyderabad. The metrological department is expecting light and heavy showers to continue in both cities in the next 24 hours.
Although the rainfall was pleasant for some as temperature fell in the city, other residents faced difficulties as almost all the main roads in the busy areas of the city were flooded. Those routes which were affected by rain included Saddar, Shahra-e-Faisal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, MA Jinnah Road and Korangi Road. Rain water under the city flyovers caused traffic jams as well.
A resident of Malir, 31-year-old Fazal Aziz, told The Express Tribune that he was held up for 30 minutes due to the massive traffic jam between Nursery and the FTC Flyover on Sharae Faisal.
“People usually enjoy rains but in Karachi, it brings only disorder on the roads and streets,” said Aziz.
Salman Ahmed, a resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block-8, also shared Aziz’s sentiments. “I was stuck in traffic at the Nipa Chowrangi for about 25 minutes on my way to the office because the road under the flyover was flooded with water.”
Areas of Khayaban-e-Hilal, Khayaban-e-Badar and parts of Phase 7 in the Defense Housing Authority also reportedly flooded.
The Contentment Board Clifton (CBC) senior engineer, Abid Shah, however, told The Express Tribune that they were working on draining out the water.
“All the roads will be cleared by tonight [Monday] unless there is more rainfall. Khayaban-e-Hilal and Khayaban-e-Badar are flooded because their level is low,” said Shah.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2013.
Karachi’ites were taken by surprise on Monday morning when heavy downpour started around 9:15am and went for more than an hour.
According to the Karachi metrological department, a low pressure system called Western Disturbance, which was active in the coastal areas of Balochistan a day earlier, entered the Sindh Coastal Areas, causing heavy and light rains in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Maximum rainfall recorded by the department was 28 millimetre in Saddar and 25 millimetre at Shahra-e-Faisal. Around 22 millimetre rainfall was recorded from Hyderabad. The metrological department is expecting light and heavy showers to continue in both cities in the next 24 hours.
Although the rainfall was pleasant for some as temperature fell in the city, other residents faced difficulties as almost all the main roads in the busy areas of the city were flooded. Those routes which were affected by rain included Saddar, Shahra-e-Faisal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, MA Jinnah Road and Korangi Road. Rain water under the city flyovers caused traffic jams as well.
A resident of Malir, 31-year-old Fazal Aziz, told The Express Tribune that he was held up for 30 minutes due to the massive traffic jam between Nursery and the FTC Flyover on Sharae Faisal.
“People usually enjoy rains but in Karachi, it brings only disorder on the roads and streets,” said Aziz.
Salman Ahmed, a resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block-8, also shared Aziz’s sentiments. “I was stuck in traffic at the Nipa Chowrangi for about 25 minutes on my way to the office because the road under the flyover was flooded with water.”
Areas of Khayaban-e-Hilal, Khayaban-e-Badar and parts of Phase 7 in the Defense Housing Authority also reportedly flooded.
The Contentment Board Clifton (CBC) senior engineer, Abid Shah, however, told The Express Tribune that they were working on draining out the water.
“All the roads will be cleared by tonight [Monday] unless there is more rainfall. Khayaban-e-Hilal and Khayaban-e-Badar are flooded because their level is low,” said Shah.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2013.