Roads, streets and homes are flooded with sewage water as three days of rain played havoc in Karachi prompting the Pakistani Army to rush in and bring into motion massive relief and rescue operations in various parts of the port city on Wednesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Submerged cars and motorcycles and water entering houses and buildings was the story of almost every locality, wreaking havoc in the country's most populous city.
Jawans from Army’s Engineering Corps used heavy machinery in an effort to stop the flow of water from Malir River by refilling the breached area. The water level has reduced and backflow from Quaidabad to the river has started, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Moreover, the statement further maintained that Army boats have been allocated to various areas of the city to help stranded people move to safer places, whereas cooked meals are being handed out to those in need.
Over 200 families were reportedly marooned on rooftops due to the heavy flooding in Malir River, Koohi Goth and Dur Muhammad Goth.
The ISPR statement further maintained that owing to the heavy water current, the Army jawans will be rescuing families stranded in different areas of the city through helicopters.
On Tuesday, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa directed Karachi Corps to step up flood relief operations to assist affected people due to recent rains in interior Sindh and Karachi.
Army Spokesperson said COAS directed that troops must reach out to affected populations in distress and extend all necessary care.
24NewsHD TV channel reported that K-Electric said electricity has been restored in most parts of the city while precautions and safety measures are being taken to restore power.
“The issue of drainage is the biggest challenge for our teams,” K-Electric spokesman said. The recent incidents of electric shocks in the rain are not related to the infrastructure of K Electric, Spokesman claimed.
However, K-Electric appealed to the public to exercise caution regarding indoor electrical appliances and outside electrical installations.
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Edhi rescue services said that an operation has been launched to rescue four people trapped in floods in Qayyumabad Korangi Crossing. Edhi spokesperson said, four people, including two women, were injured due to electric shock in a house near Buffer Zone.
While many houses in Baloch Colony and Dada Bhai Colony have been flooded by the Malir River in Karachi as residents of Baloch Colony and Dada Bhai Colony of Karachi spent the night in agony due to infiltration of water from Malir river.
The TV channel reported Meteorological Department Director Khalid Malik Sindh said rains will now go to the North. He said that the current rains will now hit different parts of Balochistan and lower Punjab and may worsen the condition of streams and canals.
While Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah talking to the media at Gharo in district Thatta said that administration and all relevant authorities are working to provide relief to people.
A dead body was recovered from the floodwater in Goth Samoon in Karachi on Wednesday. At least three children have reportedly died in rain-related incidents in Karachi on Tuesday.
The Met office has predicted that the current rain spell will continue till Thursday, August 27. Areas of Malir, Airport, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony, Azeempura, DHA, Mehmoodabad, Akhtar Colony and Clifton are among many others witnessed heavy rainfall.
K-Electric urged citizens to adopt precautionary measures and asked people to keep a safe distance from broken wires, electric poles and pole-mounted transformers (PMT). "The unsafe use of electric equipment in stagnant, or rainwater can cause accidents, illegal power connections are also deadly," added the KE spokesperson. There were reports of power outages from various areas of the city.
Three days of monsoon rains have killed at least 90 people and damaged 1,000 houses across Pakistan, while another spell of heavy rain lashed the port city of Karachi. Of the total of the rain-related casualties in Pakistan, 31 were reported in Sindh, while 23 people died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the NDMA. It added that 15 deaths were reported in Balochistan and eight in Punjab. Thirteen more people died elsewhere in northern Pakistan, including three in Azad Kashmir.