KARACHI: At least 21 people lost their lives and dozens sustained injuries in rain-related accidents across Karachi on Wednesday, as gale-force winds and torrential downpours wreaked havoc on the metropolis. Rescue officials confirmed that the deceased and injured were shifted to nearby hospitals.
According to the Meteorological Department, wind speeds reached 90 km per hour along Sharae Faisal and peaked at 97 km per hour in Maripur. The storm uprooted trees near the High Court, Karachi Press Club, and Clifton’s driving license branch, while a billboard collapsed on Tipu Sultan Road in Muhammad Ali Society. Rescue teams reported two people trapped under a fallen tree in Clifton, with efforts underway to free them.
Details gathered by MM News revealed that a wall collapse occurred in Baldia Medina Colony, where 13 people died. According to rescue officials, a husband and wife died when the roof of a house collapsed in Quaidabad, identified as Sher Wali and Riazat.
Besides these, a woman named Sheeta died when the roof collapsed in Korangi No. 3, while a man named Hazrat died after being electrocuted near Malir Memon Goth. A person died when a tree fell near Korangi No. 5, while a four-year-old girl died when a wall collapsed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Kamran Chowrangi. Also, a woman died when a tree fell near Clifton Neelum Colony, while four-year-old Zeenat lost her life when the roof collapsed in Cattle Colony Pirano Goth.
The heavy rain also disrupted Eid shopping, forcing crowds to disperse from commercial centres as power outages plunged large swathes of the city into darkness. K-Electric said more than 645 feeders tripped due to water seepage in PMTs and underground cables. Baldia, DHA, Clifton, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Korangi, Orangi, Sarjani, Saddar, MA Jinnah Road, and the Old City area were among the worst affected.
Industrial zones were not spared either, with 67 feeders tripping in Zone One and 58 in Zone Two. Power supply was also suspended in Defence Phases I and II, Akhtar Colony, Kashmir Colony, North Karachi, Moinabad, and Alamgir Society.
Rainfall figures released by the Met Office showed Korangi received the highest downpour at 55 mm, followed by Maripur (22 mm), Gulistan-e-Jauhar (13 mm), Kemari (12 mm), Airport Old Area (9 mm), Jinnah Terminal (8 mm), Sharae Faisal (9 mm), and Saadi Town (9 mm).
