KARACHI: Pakistan’s commercial capital Karachi is bracing for another spell of heavy rain today, according to a meteorological official on Wednesday, as the city is still reeling from downpour a day earlier that killed eight people and submerged major thoroughfares, leaving citizens stranded for hours.
The downpour in Karachi occurred at a time when Pakistan is witnessing an intense monsoon season that has already ravaged several areas, particularly in the country’s north, where cloudburst-triggered deluges have killed nearly 400 people since August 15.
In total, over 700 Pakistanis, including 175 children, have died in this year’s monsoon season, which began on June 26, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The situation has raised fears of a repeat of the catastrophic 2022 floods that submerged a third of Pakistan and killed more than 1,700 people, as well as causing $30 billion in economic losses.
“Heavy rainfall is expected in Karachi during the first half of the day, which could trigger flooding similar to yesterday,” Ameer Hyder, Director of the Met Office Karachi, told Arab News.
