- Sindh CM says municipal and emergency teams are on alert in view of more rains
- Shah says continuous efforts underway for drainage and rescue operations, noting 26 de-watering pumps deployed citywide to ‘ease flooding’
- PMD forecasts torrential rains in Sindh, parts of Balochistan, and other regions of the country
- Advises provincial disaster management authorities to make necessary arrangements
KARACHI: At least 16 people, including several children, have lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the last two days as Karachi was battered by back-to-back torrential downpours, intensifying the miseries of the people and prompting emergency.
On Wednesday evening alone, four more people — including three children — drowned in floodwaters.
Rescue teams said two unidentified children drowned in the Lyari River in Liaquatabad and near Al-Asif Square in Sohrab Goth. Another boy died after falling into a rain-filled ditch near the Northern Bypass. In a separate incident, police recovered the body of an unidentified elderly man who drowned during the rains.
Tragedy struck earlier when two brothers, aged 12 and 21, were electrocuted by a live underground wire in Shah Faisal Colony.
Tuesday’s rains had severely strained Karachi’s fragile infrastructure, causing stormwater drains and sewers to burst, and also disrupted industrial operations across the economic hub. Several areas experienced extended power and internet services outages which continued late into Wednesday, disrupting everyday life and adding to citizens’ misery. Due to the severity of the situation, the provincial administration had announced a public holiday in the city today.
An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said in a statement that two unidentified children drowned in the Lyari River in Liaquatabad’s C-1 Area and near Al-Asif Square in Sohrab Goth, while Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan told Dawn.com that their rescue team continued the search operation until nightfall, but it was halted due to darkness.
Separately, a young boy drowned while swimming in accumulated rainwater in a ditch off Northern Bypass, according to Gulshan-i-Maymar police Station House Officer (SHO) Abdul Ghaffar Korai.
“The body was recovered and sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,” he said.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that the body of an unidentified man in his early 60s who drowned was brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by Site Superhighway Industrial Area police for legal formalities.
Meanwhile, Shah Faisal Colony police said that two young brothers were electrocuted in the area on Tuesday evening.
Shah Faisal Colony SHO Imtiaz Husain Shah said that one of the victims was electrocuted by an underground electric wire near Jamia Masjid Farooqia in Shah Faisal Colony – 4. His brother tried to rescue him, but he also suffered an electric shock and died. The victims were identified as Murad Sultan, 21 and Siraj Sultan, 12.
Shortly after 2:30pm, rainfall was reported in Saddar, Malir, Malir Cantonment, Scheme 33, Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block 2, and near I.I. Chundrigar, Kala Pull Road, and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC). Another spell dumped more rain on the city in the evening, triggering power outages even in areas where electricity had previously been restored.
By 8pm, Orangi Town had recorded the heaviest showers, receiving 37 millimetres in total from the two spells. The PAF Faisal Base on Sharea Faisal followed with 32mm, while Jinnah Terminal measured 18mm. Keamari received 13mm, and the Airport Old Area saw 11mm of rainfall. Other parts of the city experienced lighter showers, including Korangi with 6.8mm, the Met Office station on University Road with 7.6mm, Nazimabad with 2mm, the PAF Masroor Base in Karachi West with 2mm, and Surjani Town with 1.8mm. Several areas, such as Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Saadi Town, and Bahria Town, recorded negligible or no rain during this period.
In an alert issued at 3pm, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had warned that rains with thunderstorms and strong winds were expected at most places in Karachi and its surrounding areas in the next two to four hours, while heavy showers were also forecast at some locations.
Warning of the risk of increased urban flooding, the PMD had advised the public to take necessary precautions and remain alert.
In a post on X, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab warned citizens: “It is expected to rain again from 2pm onwards. I would request people to avoid movement and if it starts to rain, please stay put where you are whether it is your office or residence.”
“We are expecting more intense rains,” Anjum Nazir, a spokesperson for Sindh’s meteorological department, as quoted as saying by Reuters.
NDMA warns of more rainfall
The NDMA’s National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) on Wednesday afternoon warned of heavy rainfall of 50-100 millimeters or more in parts of Sindh over the next 12 to 24 hours, highlighting the risk of urban flooding, waterlogging and disruptions to daily life.
A spokesman for the NDMA advised residents in vulnerable areas — including Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, and adjoining regions —to remain alert and closely monitor official updates to mitigate potential hazards.
The NDMA said urban flooding was expected to persist in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Mirpurkhas due to continued downpours and poor drainage infrastructure.
The authority warned that disruptions in power and telecom services were likely. Citizens were encouraged to stay informed through verified official sources and adhere to safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
Electricity outages
In an update at 1:30pm, K-Electric spokesperson Imran Rana said the company’s generation, transmission and distribution system was stable, with power supply continuing in the city through more than 2,000 of 2,100 feeders.
“As soon as rainwater drainage is completed and safety clearance is received from ground teams, the few remaining areas will also be restored soon,” he said, adding that the areas where power was being restored included Saima Pari Centre in Surjani Town; KDA Apartments; Hill View Apartments; Blocks A, C, D, I, J, K, R, and S in North Nazimabad; Block 10-A in Gulshan-i-Iqbal; Murtaza Chowrangi; Sector 21, and Sector 29 in Korangi, and Khyaban-i-Shamsheer, Shaheen, Gizri Boulevard and Commercial Street 1 to 4 in Defence Housing Authority.
“The public is urged to maintain safety precautions. Stay away from electrical installations and poles and exercise caution when using electrical appliances.
“In case of emergency complaints, contact the 118 call centre,” the spokesperson said.
In an update at 3:50pm, the Karachi Traffic Police said the following roads and underpasses were closed for traffic due to rainwater accumulation.
Shaheed-i-Millat Underpass at Tariq Road and Drigh Road Underpass towards the airport in District East; Nazimabad No. 1 and 2 underpasses, Liaqatabad No. 10 Underpass, Gharibabad Underpass and Sohrab Goth Underpass in District Central; both roads coming and going towards Qayyumabad at Korangi Crossing and both roads coming and going towards Korangi at EBM Causeway in Korangi District.
“The public is requested to take alternative routes to avoid inconvenience and trouble. In case of any emergency, contact the traffic helpline 1915.”
The Sindh government had ordered all private and public educational institutions across the city to remain closed today, after Wahab declared a rain emergency. However, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah rebutted a “fake” notification of school closures for tomorrow and Friday, clarifying that the government had not issued any such directives yet.
Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting on Karachi’s rain situation.
“More rain expected, municipal and emergency teams are on alert. Continuous efforts underway for drainage and rescue operations,” said a post on his X account. It noted that 26 de-watering pumps had been deployed citywide to “ease flooding”.
CM Shah also visited Sharea Faisal and the Nursery area, where he spoke to the media and highlighted that the effects of climate change were visible around the world.
“Rainwater accumulated in the city, but you can see that the nullahs are flowing,” he said, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson Abdul Rasheed Channa.
“Did the nullahs get cleared within a night? No, the Sindh government had been working on it. But the media was saying that the city had drowned and the administration was not present, which is wrong.
“The entire city administration, municipality corporation’s staff, and I myself are on the streets,” the chief minister added.
State broadcaster PTV News uploaded a post to X stating that the Pakistan Army was continuing relief and rescue efforts in the wake of heavy rainfall in Karachi.
“Due to continuous rain, many vehicles were rescued with the help of [the] Pakistan Army’s relief vehicles,” the post said, adding that elderly people and children were shifted to safe locations by Pakistan Army personnel.
The post included a video showing army personnel working with civil personnel and towing stranded vehicles with heavy trucks.
Inundated roads as mayor stresses ‘climate change is a reality’
Floodwater was still accumulated on multiple roads across the city, including near I.I. Chundrigar Road, as Karachi did not witness any further rain till at least 2pm.
While the traffic police listed 10 bypasses and three main roads as being closed till at least 12pm due to urban flooding, Wahab presented a contrasting picture on his social media accounts, sharing videos of only those routes that were clear for vehicles.
The PPP mayor shared videos shot from inside a car of a drive along the Sher Shah Suri Road, Submarine Underpass, Shahrah-i-Pakistan and Liaqatabad No. 10 leading to Daak Khana, which did not have any rainwater in the videos.
This Google Map screengrab shows road blockades across Karachi on Aug 20, 2025 as of 4:50pm, a day after heavy rainfall led to flooding in various areas.
In a post on X, Wahab urged citizens not to use Shaheed-i-Millat Road at the moment as “work is being carried out to clear the underpasses”. He suggested using Stadium Road or Shahrah-i-Quaideen as alternative routes.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Wahab said: “Climate change is a reality. If you want to make someone a target of criticism and say whatever you want, you can. But, you can see how huge a challenge climate change is for any government, state, or administration around the world.”
Noting that Pakistan faced “different challenges” from the developed countries, the PPP mayor said climate change had wreaked havoc in other parts of the country too in recent weeks.
He underscored that people had two options: either change their behaviour to combat climate change, or criticise others. He compared yesterday’s torrential rains in Karachi to those that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, other northern areas and Islamabad faced this monsoon.
Wahab detailed that there were two rain spells on Tuesday, with the first one ending by 9:30am, allowing the city administration to work on removing the rainwater. “By 12:30pm, the situation had been fixed and the main arteries of your city were open.”
However, the second spell began at around 1:15pm and continued “non-stop” till 6pm, the PPP mayor highlighted. Even after that, rain continued “on and off” till around 8pm with each spell lasting 10 to 12 minutes, Wahab added.
Noting that 235 millimetres of rain occurred in only Manghopir in 12 hours yesterday, Wahab stressed that Karachi’s nullahs had a capacity of 40mm so rainfall above that would result in a spillover effect. He asserted that a nullah situated in the Nursery area was fully functional and had no blockage.
Rain started again while Wahab was holding the media talk, with the mayor saying he was ready to continue the press conference in the same outdoor setting, and later pushed back an umbrella someone else was holding for him.
According to the rainfall record issued by the PMD at 8am for the previous 24 hours, Gulshan-i-Hadeed received the highest amount of rain (178mm), with Keamari following close (173mm).
Airport Old Area recorded 164mm of rain, Jinnah Terminal 156mm, Nazimabad 150mm, Surjani Town 151mm, North Karachi 149mm, Saadi Town 146mm, DHA Phase 7 138mm, Met Office at University Road 145mm, Korangi 139mm, PAF Faisal Base at Sharea Faisal 133mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar (Jamia Rasheed) 103mm, PAF Masroor Base (Karachi West) 101mm, Orangi Town 81mm and Bahria Town witnessed the lowest 5mm.
Deaths from rain-related incidents rise to 8
According to separate statements issued by Karachi Rescue 1122, two more people died in rain-related incidents, in addition to yesterday’s six deaths.
Edhi Marine Service volunteers recovered the body of a 50-year-old man, identified as Abbas Mohsin, who went missing in a nullah near the Gurumandir area yesterday, Rescue 1122 said. His body was taken to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).
In Defence Housing Authority’s (DHA) Phase 5, Edhi Marine Service volunteers recovered the body of 19-year-old motorcycle rider Yasir, after being informed about an electrocution incident. The man’s body was shifted to the JPMC.
A man and a woman were injured after part of an old building collapsed in the Ranchore Line area, a statement from the Edhi Rescue service said. Both were taken to CHK in an ambulance.
According to statements by Sindh Rescue 1122, “several people” were rescued from Karachi’s Sukhan Nadi, while 18 men and 12 women were evacuated safely from a call centre in PECHS Block 6 after they were trapped there due to rainwater accumulated inside the building.
Among the six people who died yesterday were four members of a family who lost their lives after the walls of a house in Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s Block-12 collapsed during the heavy rain. According to a JPMC statement, a boy aged between two to four years and a six to seven-year-old girl were among the deceased, while a fifth relative was injured.
In another similar incident in Orangi Town, an eight-year-old child lost his life. An unidentified man, aged 20-24 years, died in a suspected electrocution case in DHA’s Phase 7.
Yesterday’s rains severely flooded Karachi’s major arteries, including Sharea Faisal, M.A. Jinnah Road, and I.I. Chundrigar Road, with hundreds of cars and motorcycles submerged and commuters stuck in traffic jams for several hours. Many had to wade through waist-deep water in the business district as they tried to return home.
Shortly after the heavy rains hit the city, power outages swept across the city, plunging several areas into darkness. Even upscale neighbourhoods, such as DHA and Clifton, were severely affected, with rainwater flooding homes and adding to the residents’ misery.
The domestic and international flight operations at Jinnah International Airport were also affected, with the Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA) confirming that several flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to an alternative airport due to inclement weather.
More rains expected in Sindh, Balochistan
The PMD has forecast torrential rains in Sindh, parts of Balochistan, and other regions of the country in the coming days, advising the provincial disaster management authorities to make necessary arrangements.
According to the PMD, strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are continuously penetrating the country, particularly the southern parts.
Under the influence of these conditions, widespread rain-wind/thundershowers with scattered heavy falls, at times very heavy, are expected in Karachi, Mithi, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Sanghar and Jamshoro.
Scattered showers are likely in Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, and Jacobabad till August 22 with occasional gaps.
In Balochistan, rain-wind/thundershowers with scattered heavy falls are expected in Barkhan, Musakhel, Loralai, Sibi, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Gwadar, and Panjgur till August 22 with occasional gaps.
The Met Office warned that torrential rains may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Sindh, including Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Tharparkar, Umer Kot, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Sanghar, and Jamshoro.
