Heavy Rains Flooded Karachi, Five Dead Amid Electrocution and Structural Collapse

KARACHI: Torrential rains hit the city on Thursday leading to at least five fatalities and much inconvenience as a number of places were flooded and left without power in the hours to come.

According to officials, four of the victims died due to electrocution, while one person lost their life when a wall collapsed in Pak Colony. In another accident, the roof of a building in Ranchhor Line collapsed though there were no casualties since the building was already vacated.

Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded differing levels of rainfall in the metropolis with Nazimabad registering the highest at 69.6mm. Precipitation was also heavy in other regions such as Keamari, Bahria Town, University Road, and Saadi Town. The morning of Friday is likely to have light drizzle, though the weather may become better in the second part of the day.

In addition to the intensity of the weather system, small-sized hail was also reported in some areas of Clifton, DHA, Mauripur, and Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Urban flooding badly hit major road networks that disrupted traffic and day to day living. The large arteries such as Sharea Faisal in Nursery and the road between Shahrah-i-Pakistan and Karimabad were flooded hours later. In Malir, a road connecting Malir Cantonment to Malir Halt collapsed leaving vehicles stranded and posing dangerous conditions to commuters.

Business districts were not left behind with Iqbal Market in M.A. Jinnah road witnessing a lot of water and revealing a long-standing drainage problem.

Police officers verified that there were numerous cases of electrocution throughout the city. Some of the victims were an employee of K-Electric in Ahsanabad, a man in PIB Colony, a young worker in Hasan Brohi Goth, and a seven-year-old girl in Surjani Town.

The rainfall also disrupted the power supply, with K-Electric reporting that nearly 500 feeders were initially affected. Although restoration efforts reduced the number to around 120 by evening, many areas remained without electricity for extended periods.

Despite the challenges, city officials claimed improved preparedness compared to previous rain spells. Municipal teams were deployed swiftly to drain water from major roads, restoring traffic flow within hours in several areas.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab stated that the overall situation was “under control,” noting that major underpasses remained operational and emergency response teams acted promptly. However, low-lying residential areas continued to face water accumulation, raising concerns about sanitation and daily disruptions.

The latest spell of rain once again highlights the city’s vulnerability to urban flooding and infrastructure challenges, despite ongoing efforts to improve drainage and emergency response systems.