HYDERABAD: A sudden half-hour downpour on Monday afternoon caused severe flooding in several parts of Hyderabad, leaving many areas submerged in ankle- to knee-deep sewage-mixed rainwater. The downtown city and low-lying areas were the hardest hit, with residents and traders reporting water entering their shops and homes. The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded up to 53 millimetres of rainfall, which was preceded by a short, intense dust storm.
The storm caused significant damage, including one fatality when the roof of a shop in the Timber Market collapsed, killing Naek Muhammad from Moro town in Naushehro Feroze district. Additionally, dozens of trees and signboards were uprooted by the strong gusts. Several people, including Nazim Chaang, Farzand Ali, and Roshan Ali, were injured in the incident.
Power outages followed the heavy rains, with the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC) and Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) blaming the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) for the failure of drainage pumping stations. The drainage stations were unable to function due to the lack of electricity, leading to widespread flooding across the city.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the flooding and was briefed by HMC Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro about the situation. The mayor informed the CM that the power outages had caused the drainage systems to stop working, leading to the accumulation of rainwater in many areas. The CM ordered prompt action to drain the water and restore normalcy.
Citizens expressed their frustration on social media, sharing videos of the flooded streets and questioning the government’s preparedness to handle such rain-related challenges, especially after spending large amounts of money on drainage infrastructure. Areas such as Haider Chowk, Station Road, Thandi Sarak, Paretabad, and parts of Latifabad and Qasimabad were among those heavily flooded.
HESCO later explained that the collapse of 12 transmission towers had disrupted power supply to 18 grid stations, affecting more than 100 feeders. While around 100 feeders were restored by nightfall, 52 feeders remained without power due to fallen trees damaging transmission lines.
