The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a fresh heavy rain alert for Sindh, warning of very heavy downpours in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur over the next 12 to 24 hours.
NDMA warns of urban flooding and flash floods
According to the NDMA, more than 50 to 100 millimetres of rainfall is expected in a short span, raising fears of severe urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas. The authority also cautioned of possible flash floods in Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro and Dadu. Rising water levels in the Indus River and drains may cause flooding in low-lying areas.
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Officials warned that low-lying areas may be submerged, highways and local roads could face closures, and power and telecommunication services may be disrupted for longer durations.
Death toll rises amid relentless rains
The NDMA confirmed that 47 people lost their lives in the past 24 hours, with the highest casualties reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (35). Other fatalities included one in Punjab, two in Balochistan, two in Gilgit-Baltistan and seven in Azad Kashmir. At least 32 others were injured, including 25 in KP, two in Punjab, one in Balochistan, four in Azad Kashmir.
Karachi rainfall breaks records
The Meteorological Department said intermittent rain will continue in Karachi till August 23, with light to moderate showers expected today.
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Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said in a press conference on Wednesday that Tuesday's rain had stopped around 8pm, during which Mangopir recorded 235mm of rain, Gulshan-e-Hadeed 202mm, and Karachi Airport 190mm. He said that Karachi received an average of 170mm to 175mm of rain in 12 hours.
He further said that Karachi's drains, which have a capacity of 40mm of rain, received an eight-fold increase of 240mm water.
The mayor admitted that the city faced difficulties but insisted that drainage operations were carried out promptly. He noted that major bottlenecks like the Nursery drain had been cleared, though heavy traffic delayed machinery access to Shahrah-e-Faisal.
“Rainfall was extraordinary, but our teams worked round the clock. I appeal to citizens to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel during urban flooding,” Wahab said.
