At least seven people were killed in Karachi on Tuesday after heavy monsoon rains battered the city, flooding neighbourhoods, paralysing traffic and knocking out power, prompting the mayor to enforce a rain emergency.
Dark clouds covered the city by afternoon, followed by heavy showers with strong winds in areas including Surjani Town, Federal B Area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Qayyumabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad, and New Karachi.
Rainwater quickly inundated major roads and residential streets, with severe flooding reported in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, where water entered homes and forced residents to shift valuables to higher ground. Key intersections such as Hasan Square, Nipa Chowrangi, Jail Chowrangi, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Karsaz and the Expressway also witnessed heavy waterlogging, bringing traffic to a near standstill.
Mayor declares rain emergency after seven killed in downpour
On the directives of Mayor Murtaza Wahab, a rain emergency has been enforced across Karachi, with all teams placed on high alert to respond to urban flooding, traffic disruptions, and other rain-related incidents.
In Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Block 12, four members of a family were killed and a child injured when a house wall gave way. The victims included Maryam, 4; Hamza, 3; and Samiya, 24, wife of Mubeen. Another man, around 28, also died, while a 10-year-old boy sustained injuries.
Separately, a health department employee, Muhammad Faizan, was injured when a parking shed collapsed at the Sindh Secretariat after a tree fell during the storm. Police said several people were trapped but escaped unhurt. Faizan sustained a head injury and was treated in hospital.Municipal officials warned that further downpours could aggravate flooding in low-lying areas as the city struggled with drainage and power breakdowns.
According to data from the Meteorological Department, Gulshan-e-Hadeed received the heaviest rainfall at 145mm, followed by the old area of Karachi Airport with 138mm, Keamari 137mm, Jinnah Terminal 135mm, University Road 132mm, and DHA Phase VII 121mm. PAF Faisal Base (Shahrah-e-Faisal) recorded 114mm.
