Torrential rains paralyze Karachi once again

August 20, 2025 (MLN): Torrential rains battered Karachi and other parts of southern Sindh on Tuesday, overwhelming the city’s already fragile infrastructure, leaving at least eight people dead.

This grave situation is prompting urgent federal-provincial coordination to manage the crisis.

The downpour, which began yesterday morning and persisted through the evening with only brief pauses, submerged key roads, crippled traffic, and disrupted power supply across several districts.

Flooded underpasses and overflowing drainage lines stranded commuters, while multiple neighbourhoods were plunged into darkness as the electricity grid buckled under pressure.

Authorities confirmed eight fatalities in rain-related incidents, including electrocution and structural collapses.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Saadi Town recorded the heaviest rainfall at 176 millimeters, followed by Gulshan-i-Hadeed at 173mm and the Airport Old Area at nearly 159mm.

Several other localities, including Nazimabad, Surjani Town, DHA Phase VII, and University Road, reported rainfall above 130mm.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that the current spell was likely to persist until Saturday, with another round of heavy showers forecast by month-end.

NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said the authority is in close contact with Sindh officials and is preparing awareness campaigns to alert residents in vulnerable districts.

In response to the situation, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah declared a public holiday on Wednesday for all government, semi-government, autonomous, and private institutions, while keeping essential services operational. Schools across the province will remain closed.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif telephoned the Sindh chief minister to discuss relief operations and directed NDMA to maintain constant coordination with the provincial administration.

He assured that the federal government would extend all possible assistance to Sindh during the emergency.

The urban flooding in Karachi once again exposed the city’s vulnerability to climate shocks and inadequate drainage infrastructure.

This situation raised urgent policy questions on the need for sustainable urban planning and climate resilience investments in Pakistan’s commercial hub.

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