Rain coupled with thunder lashed Karachi on Saturday bringing down the mercury but also plunging most of the megacity into darkness after K-Electric’s hundreds of feeders tripped, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Rainfall with thunder was recorded in various parts of the metropolis including Orangi, Sarjani Town, Clifton, II Chundrigar Road, Saddar, Malir Colony, Landhi, Garden and Naya Nazimabad.
After days of extreme hot and humid weather, the downpour brought some relief to the Karachiites but the electricity breakdown added salt to their injuries.
Maximum rain was recorded in Nazimabad which was 37.2mm, 25mm in Kemari, 23mm in Maripur and Korangi 22mm.
Due to rain, over 250 feeders tripped in different areas of Karachi including Qasba Colongy Teesar Twon, Kathor, Gaddap City, Bin Qasim, Gulshan Hadid, Baldia, Ittehad Town, Gulistan Johar, FB Area, DHA, Punjab Colony
The Met Office in its weather forecast said the maximum temperature in the city was expected to stay between 38-40°C with 76 percent humidity.
Earlier, the Met Office in its forecast for next 24 hours said that scattered rain, windstorms and thundershowers were expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, central/southern Punjab, Sindh, northeast/south Balochistan, Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the Pothohar region. “Heavyfalls are likely in isolated places in south Punjab, northeast Balochistan and southeast/upper Sindh during the period,” it said.
According to the synoptic situation, light to moderate monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea were penetrating central/southern parts of the country. On the other hand, a westerly wave was affecting the upper parts of the country.
During the last 24 hours, rain-windstorms/thundershowers were reported in upper KP, Sindh, Punjab and northeast Balochistan while hot and humid weather prevailed in other parts of the country.
The highest rainfall was recorded in KP’s Parachinar (63 millimeters) followed by Mirkhani (12mm), Dir (10mm), Drosh (6mm), Kalam (2mm) and Balakot (1mm).
In Sindh, Tando Jam recorded 34mm of rainfall, Hyderabad (Airport 24mm, City 19mm), Badin (17mm), Thatta (15mm), Mirpurkhas (9mm) and Karachi (University Road 15mm, Hasan Square 7mm). Khanewal (22mm) received the highest rainfall in Punjab.
Reporters Aima Khan and Ashraf Khan