Met Office predicts light rain after four people die of electrocution in Karachi

A Pakistani motorcyclist rides on a street as their passenger tries to keep dry under plastic covering during monsoon rain in Karachi on July 29, 2019. (AFP/ File)

• Pakistan’s southern port city experienced significant urban flooding in July 2020, leading to the death of at least 41 people
• Officials say the possibility of another flood is currently low since much of the water from last night’s rain has already drained

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Saturday predicted lights showers for the country’s southern port city of Karachi after four people, including a child, died of electrocution following a downpour on Friday.
Local media reported that a person addicted to narcotics lost his life while trying to steal a bulb during the rain. In a separate incident, a four-year-old girl named Tania was also electrocuted outside her residence in Shah Rasool Colony in Clifton.
Rescue officials said two other people died of electrocution in Baldia Town and Sharifabad on Friday night.
“Light rain is expected in the evening [on Saturday] but urban flooding is highly unlikely since the water from last night’s rain has already drained,” Sardar Sarfraz, chief metrological officer, told Arab News.
“It rained heavily on Friday until about 1am,” he added.
Last year in July, Karachi experienced the worst flooding since 1931, leading to the death of at least 41 of its residents.
Local authorities struggled for days to pump out water from people’s houses, especially in the affluent Defense Housing Authority and Naya Nazimabad neighborhoods, prompting protests in the affected areas.
Officials sprang into action after the Supreme Court took notice of the situation and directed them to clear rainwater and remove encroachments.
Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the provincial minister for information and local bodies, said last July he had instructed the subordinate departments of his ministry to proactively deal with any problem that could lead to another flood in the city.
“The Sindh government had already started cleaning major and small rainwater drains on May 20 this year,” he continued. “We have taken out 7,200,000 tons of trash before transporting it to various landfill sites.”
“Preparations [to deal with the monsoon season] are complete, and we hope it will not be like the situation we witnessed last year,” a statement issued by his office quoted him as saying.
“Chocked drains have been cleared. The Sindh government is currently working on 41 big and 500 small drains in the city under third-party monitoring,” the minister added.