Unprecedented monsoon rains unleashed catastrophic flooding across Karachi on Tuesday, claiming at least six lives and bringing Pakistan’s largest metropolis to a complete standstill. The provincial government, responding to the crisis, declared a public holiday for Wednesday.
The torrential downpour, which meteorologists linked to a low-pressure system over India, overwhelmed the city’s crumbling infrastructure. Storm drains and sewers burst across the city, sending floodwaters into homes and businesses, even in affluent neighborhoods like Defence and Clifton, reports Dawn.
Major transportation arteries, including the critical Sharea Faisal, were transformed into rivers, submerging hundreds of cars and motorcycles. The resulting traffic jam was described as one of the worst in the city’s history, with thousands of commuters stranded for over ten hours.
The human toll was severe. Officials confirmed six rain-related deaths, with five fatalities resulting from wall and house collapses and one from electrocution. The severity of the flooding was starkly evident in the Soldier Bazaar area, where rescue teams evacuated 80 residents from a high-rise building flooded up to its first floor.
The chaos extended citywide. Widespread power outages plunged numerous areas into darkness, compounding the misery for residents. Aviation operations were also crippled, with the Pakistan Aviation Authority confirming that numerous flights at Jinnah International Airport were delayed, cancelled, or diverted.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the highest rainfall of 170mm (6.69 inches) was recorded in Gulshan-i-Hadeed. A department official warned that the crisis is not over, noting that another weather system is expected to bring more intense rain to the city on Wednesday and Thursday.
The emergency prompted a high-level government response. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to express concern and be briefed on relief efforts. The Prime Minister assured the Chief Minister of full federal support. Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori also formally requested federal assistance after briefing Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.