A man waves to the people, as he is stranded amid stormwater drainage flow along the Lyari River, after the monsoon rain, as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi, Pakistan July 26, 2020.
Islamabad, Pakistan - Khan's order to NDMA chairman and Pakistan army follows reports of deaths, electrocution and flooded roads.
Published: Wed 29 Jul 2020, 10:48 PM
Updated: Thu 30 Jul 2020, 1:06 AM
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman to visit Karachi and launch a clean-up operation after torrential rain wreaked havoc in the provincial capital.
"I have asked the NDMA chairman to go to Karachi immediately and start the clean-up in the aftermath of the rain," the prime minister said on Twitter.
The prime minister's directive came after the reports of deaths, electrocution and flooded roads came from the city following heavy rain on Sunday causing huge loss to the property and businesses there.
The city saw a third spell of heavy downpour on Monday, drowning the city's streets, resulting in accidents, flooding, swamped roads, overflowing gutters, power breakdowns and traffic jams, making the lives of the locals no less than miserable.
At least four persons, including a child, died in various rain-related incidents in different parts of the city. The 10-year-old child was electrocuted to death by a snapped electricity wire which fell on him.
"The child was playing in the streets in the rain when he got electrocuted by a broken electricity wire," a local resident said.
Osama, 18, a resident of Landhi area in Karachi, died after stepping into a pool of standing water.
The police suspect that Osama died of lightning strike.
As per reports, two people died after they fell into overflowing drains in different parts of the city. As per the police, several people have also gone missing.
Besides rains wreaking havoc in the city, Karachi also suffered power woes as large parts of the city lost electricity connection as soon as the rain started pouring in. As per K-electric, at least 550 feeders have tripped while multiple transformers caught fire.
"In some areas, power connection was suspended as a precautionary measure while the power utility staff are working to resolve the other issues," said a K-electric spokesperson.
Long queues of vehicles were witnessed on the roads, which were already flooded with rainwater. Locals were left with no other option but to push their vehicles to the roadsides and wait for help.
Karachi's woes continue to worsen every year as extended rains bare open the inadequate drainage and sewerage system of the city, leaving citizens to suffer and struggle every time it rains.
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