Pakistan forecasts heavy rains in Karachi this week, warns of power outages and floods
KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) forecast heavy rains for the country’s commercial hub Karachi and its neighboring city Hyderabad this week, warning that the monsoon downpours are likely to trigger urban flooding and power outages.
Karachi was hit by torrential rains on Tuesday, triggering flooding in many parts of the city that left thousands stranded on the city’s main arteries for hours. Visuals of motorcyclists wading through waist-high water and cars floating on the city’s main underpasses went viral on social media, triggering anger at the provincial government.
According to Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, the city received over 200 millimeters of rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. The rains killed 17 people, according to Rescue 1122 emergency service, and left many areas of the city without power for over 24 hours. Wahab has been posting on social media regularly, saying the city government has been busy draining water from several main arteries of the city that are now open for traffic.
In its press release on Thursday, the NDMA warned that a “strong” rainfall system was expected in Sindh from Aug. 24 to 28. It added that Karachi and its neighboring Hyderabad city would receive heavy rainfall on Thursday night.
