Monsoon Rains Cause Havoc in Karachi and Sindh

Karachi and several areas of Sindh province are still grappling with the aftermath of recent heavy monsoon rains, experiencing power disruptions and widespread water accumulation. Authorities have issued warnings about the potential for even greater devastation as the monsoon season progresses.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori addressed the ongoing electricity issues, mentioning his planned discussion with the managing director of K-Electric, the primary power provider for Karachi.

Residents from various neighborhoods, including North Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Defence View, Orangi Town, Lyari, Baldia Town, Liaquatabad, Surjani, and the Korangi Industrial Area, have reported electricity outages lasting from 24 to 48 hours.

In certain areas of Karachi, the power supply has been cut off for over 36 hours, which has resulted in a lack of water in many households.

In Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Block 8, citizens protested after being without electricity for 32 hours, while Block 2 has experienced a continuous power outage since Tuesday. North Nazimabad saw blackouts lasting 45 hours.

Similar issues have been reported in Hyderabad, where residents claim that the majority of Latifabad and Qasimabad are still without electricity, with restoration efforts taking over seven hours.

K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi stated that more than 500 feeders tripped during the heavy rainfall but claimed that power had been restored to 94% of the city by Wednesday evening.

According to the primary power company, electricity is now being delivered through 1,950 of Karachi’s 2,100 feeders, and work is underway to fix the remaining 150. The business cited significant waterlogging as a barrier to field personnel reaching impacted areas.

Late Wednesday night, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, accompanied by MQM leader Dr. Farooq Sattar, visited flood-affected parts of the city. During a subsequent press briefing, he stated that power shortages have emerged as the city’s most pressing concern.

He informed reporters that families in Surjani were compelled to sleep on their roofs because rainwater had inundated their homes. He also mentioned the start of food distribution in the area and urged the rapid draining of low-lying locations.

Tessori noted that the Governor House’s complaint center received over 11,000 complaints in a single day, primarily regarding power outages. He also stated that comparable complaint centers would be established shortly in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

He emphasized, “This is not the time to attribute all blame to climate change.”

Tessori declared that K-Electric’s managing director had been called for a briefing and stated, “Once the crisis subsides, we must tackle the fundamental reasons for these failures.”

In a separate incident, two brothers tragically died from electrocution in Natha Khan Goth during Tuesday’s storm.

Police identified the victims as 21-year-old Murad and his 16-year-old brother, Siraj. The victims’ father has filed a complaint with the Shah Faisal Colony police station, charging K-Electric officials with manslaughter.

Federal Climate Change Minister Dr. Musadik Malik has cautioned that the current period of rainfall is expected to last until September 10, and the next monsoon system is expected to be even more severe.

Dr. Malik, speaking on a TV program, emphasized the need for immediate preparation for the coming monsoon season.

He cited recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting that cloudbursts and flash floods can carry away enormous boulders “like straws,” resulting in widespread damage.

He warned that hotels and resorts constructed in flood pathways may collapse into rubble, exacerbating the devastation.

Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, also appearing on the same program, recognized the limitations of Karachi’s drainage infrastructure, stating that it can only handle 40mm of rainfall, making it unable to handle 200mm of rainfall.

Environmental expert Dr. Zainab Naeem cautioned that uncontrolled stone crushing in mountains has increased flood risks, with little regulatory oversight.