Severe urban flooding hazard looms as Karachi braces for another wet day

• Tharparkar may face 100mm rain with winds up to 70 km/h.
• Low-lying areas face flooding risk; residents told to stay indoors.
• Traffic police on alert; K-Electric reports under 60 feeders hit so far.

The weather authorities have warned of heavy monsoon rains in Karachi on Tuesday, with the possibility of urban flooding as strong winds and torrential downpours hit the coastal city in its 10th wet spell.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has stated that the city can expect spells of moderate to strong showers from Tuesday morning until late at night. 

The weather forecast warned that “very heavy downpours” were likely to pound Karachi today, as a powerful monsoon system maintains its intensity as a deep depression over land, centred over Tharparkar.

It said the rain system has turned into a deep depression.

The PMD spokesperson said the system would pass close to Karachi on Tuesday, warning that the situation in the city “may remain severe”, with strong winds of 60 to 70 kilometres per hour likely during the spell.

“This system is producing intense rainfall and could deliver over 100 millimetres of rain in Karachi during the entire spell,” PMD’s Anjum Nazir said, cautioning of urban flooding due to the city’s poor infrastructure.

Low-lying areas could be inundated, and citizens have been urged to avoid weak infrastructure and stay indoors during intense showers.

In other parts of Sindh, the weather department recorded as much as 80 millimetres of rain in the last spell. 

Karachi’s battered drainage system cannot withstand much, and memories of flooded streets and stranded commuters are still fresh.

However, authorities are trying to sound calm as the traffic police say their officers are out in the field to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles. 

“We are active across all towns to avoid jams,” said DIG Traffic, adding that the measures were taken on the chief minister’s instructions. The information department also claimed traffic is moving normally across the city.

Still, the risk hangs heavy as the K-Electric, which runs the city’s power supply, has gone on high alert. Its spokesman said out of over 2,100 feeders, fewer than 60 were affected in the recent rains. In some low-lying areas and places with illegal connections, power was cut as a precaution.

For now, Karachi’s traffic remains under control, and electricity is mostly stable. But the real test will begin once the first heavy spell hits. The city waits, hoping it will not be drowned yet again.

The Met Office said intermittent heavy showers with thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad and other districts till September 10.

Rains trigger school closures, accidents across Sindh

Hyderabad quickly gave way to steady rain on the night between Monday and Tuesday, forcing authorities to announce the closure of schools across the district. 

The stop-and-go showers have already disrupted daily life.

Weather officials say more rain is on the way, while the disaster management authority has strongly advised people to stay cautious.

But it was Matiari in Sindh where the weather turned dangerous. The district also closed its schools, yet the bigger concern was safety on the roads. 

Police said a trailer crashed into a footpath along the National Highway, injuring its driver. 

A separate accident near New Saeedabad in Hala left three motorcyclists hurt. In total, four people were rushed to the hospital after rain-related mishaps.

Rain also poured in Azad Kashmir, with fresh showers reported in Dhirkot and parts of the Bagh district.