Five killed as heavy rain lashes Karachi, causing flooding and power outages

KARACHI: At least five people were killed as heavy rain swept across Karachi on Thursday, with four of the deaths caused by electrocution and one linked to a wall collapse, according to officials. The downpour also inundated roads, disrupted traffic, and left many neighbourhoods without electricity for hours.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded rainfall of varying intensity in different parts of the city. Nazimabad received the highest rainfall at 69.6 millimetres, followed by Keamari with 56mm, Saadi Town 48mm, University Road 44.2mm, Bahria Town 43.5mm, Orangi Town 39.4mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar 36mm, while Surjani Town and Jinnah Terminal each recorded 35mm.

A Met official said the weather was expected to remain partly cloudy on Friday morning, with chances of drizzle in the early hours, before improving later in the day as mostly clear conditions set in. The official also confirmed that small-sized hail was reported in Clifton, DHA, Mauripur and Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Deaths reported in rain-related incidents

Officials said Shahabuddin, 40, died after suffering an electric shock near Pakistan Kanta in Ahsanabad while trying to fix an electrical fault. Police said he was believed to be an employee of K-Electric.

In PIB Colony, 35-year-old Abdul Waleed died after coming into contact with an electric pole near Faizan Masjid at around 3:35pm.

Surjani Town SHO Sohail Khaskheli said seven-year-old Dua Batool Sarfraz died after receiving an electric shock inside her home in Sector-7-A. In another incident, a 23-year-old man identified as Sartaj died after being electrocuted while working inside a house in Hasan Brohi Goth near Bashir Chowk.

Separately, in Pak Colony, heavy rain affected the structure of a three-storey building and a wall on the second floor collapsed onto the road, killing a passerby.

Rescue-1122 officials also said the roof of a building in Ranchhor Line collapsed, but no one was hurt because the building had already been evacuated.

Roads submerged, traffic disrupted

Several major roads were badly affected by urban flooding after the rain, disrupting movement in different parts of the city. Sharea Faisal near Nursery was submerged, and rainwater entered shops in the nearby furniture market, affecting business activity.

A key stretch linking Shahrah-i-Pakistan with Karimabad remained underwater, causing heavy congestion and forcing commuters to use alternate routes. Near the airport, a main road connecting Malir Cantonment to Malir Halt caved in, stranding several vehicles and creating risks for motorists. Traffic and municipal authorities were called to manage the situation and assist those affected.

Iqbal Market on M.A. Jinnah Road also saw severe flooding, underlining drainage problems in commercial areas despite wider efforts by the administration to keep major roads clear.

Power supply affected across the city

The rain also disrupted K-Electric’s power supply network in many parts of Karachi. Electricity outages were reported in several areas from the onset of rainfall, with some localities remaining without power for hours.

In a social media post, a KE spokesperson said rain had initially affected around 500 feeders out of the utility’s total 2,100 feeders. He added that the situation improved after the rain stopped.

By 6:30 PM, the number of affected feeders had dropped to approximately 120,

the spokesperson said.

Authorities say situation remained manageable

City authorities appeared better prepared than during previous rain spells, with major roads that had been submerged during peak rainfall cleared within a few hours, allowing traffic to resume relatively quickly.

Municipal teams, led by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, were deployed to drain standing water and respond to emergencies. Even so, by late evening, conditions remained difficult in several residential areas, especially low-lying neighbourhoods where water had yet to recede. Streets in those localities remained flooded, affecting routine life and raising sanitation concerns.

In a video statement issued late in the evening, Mayor Wahab said the overall situation in the city was under control after the rainfall and that traffic was moving on major arteries. After visiting different areas, he said he had been monitoring conditions on the ground with his team and maintained that all major underpasses were open. He added that while some complaints were received from a few localities that temporarily affected traffic movement, municipal teams responded quickly and drained accumulated water, improving the situation.