Karachi ravaged by torrential rain and storm, 23 lives lost

Karachi: According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Karachi continues to endure intermittent rainfall, interspersed with gusty winds and thunder, following overnight heavy showers.

The PMD has predicted that these unsettled conditions may persist throughout the day, ranging from light drizzle to intense downpours, with further precipitation expected during Eid and between 24–27 March due to an advancing westerly weather system affecting Sindh.

Official measurements recorded between last night and 8:00 am indicate that Korangi bore the brunt of the deluge with 55.6 mm of rainfall, followed by Nazimabad at 29.6 mm, Mauripur 22 mm, and Surjani Town 16 mm. Orangi Town recorded 15.6 mm, DHA 15 mm, and Kemari 14 mm.

Additional readings include Gulistan-e-Johar 13 mm, Bahria Town 12.5 mm, and Gulshan-e-Hadeed 11 mm, while Old Airport, Jinnah Terminal, and Shahrah-e-Faisal each registered 10 mm. Saadi Town received the lowest recorded rainfall at 9 mm.

The severe weather has precipitated multiple tragedies and accidents across the metropolis. Rescue authorities confirmed that a wall collapse near Moach Goth in Baldia claimed eight lives and left three others injured.

Another structural failure in Landhi’s Majeed Colony resulted in the deaths of two people, including a woman, with three more injured. Elsewhere, a lightning strike near Yaru Goth in the Malir River proved fatal.

In Korangi, a woman perished when the roof of her house caved in at Sector 3½, while a man succumbed after being struck by a falling tree in Korangi No. 5.

In Baldia Town’s Moachh Goth area, rescuers have recovered 13 bodies from a collapsed building, with search operations ongoing for additional victims trapped beneath the debris.

Other incidents include two individuals trapped by a toppled tree near Clifton Driving License Branch, and a collapsed billboard on Tipu Sultan Road in Mohammad Ali Society. Additionally, three people sustained injuries in a wall collapse in Majid Colony, Quaidabad.

In total, the recent storms and incessant rainfall have claimed 23 lives across Karachi, with numerous others injured.

Authorities have urged citizens to exercise utmost caution avoid unnecessary travel and remain vigilant as wind speeds have reached 90 km/h on Shahrah-e-Faisal and 97 km/h in Mauripur, exacerbating already hazardous conditions.