Four die of electrocution as heavy rain batters Karachi

• Fifth victim dies in wall collapse
• Building’s roof collapses in Ranchhor Line; no casualties reported
• Nazimabad receives 69.6mm highest rainfall
• Hail falls in parts of the city
• Many areas without electricity hours after downpour
• Mayor Wahab says situation under control

KARACHI: At least five persons were killed, four of whom died of electrocution, as heavy rains battered the metropolis on Thursday, leaving roads submerged and residential areas without electricity for hours.

According to the Met Office, varying levels of rainfall were recorded across the city, with Nazimabad receiving the highest amount at 69.6 millimetres, followed by Keamari 56mm, Bahria Town 43.5mm, University Road 44.2mm, Saadi Town 48mm, Orangi Town 39.4mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar 36mm, Surjani Town and Jinnah Terminal received 35mm of rainfall each.

The weather is expected to remain partly cloudy on Friday morning with chances of drizzle during the early hours, a Met official said, adding that conditions are likely to improve later in the day with mostly clear weather expected to prevail.

The official confirmed that small-sized hail was also reported in Clifton, DHA, Mauripur and Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Several key road links across the city were severely affected by urban flooding following the downpour, disrupting traffic and daily activity in multiple areas.

Sharea Faisal near Nursery was inundated with rainwater, which entered shops in the nearby furniture market, hampering business activity.

A major stretch connecting Shahrah-i-Pakistan with Karimabad remained submerged, causing significant congestion and forcing commuters to seek alternate routes.

In another incident, a main road near the airport linking Malir Cantonment to Malir Halt caved in, leaving several vehicles stranded and creating a hazardous situation for motorists.

The traffic and municipal authorities were called in to manage the situation and rescue those affected.

Iqbal Market along the busy M.A. Jinnah Road also experienced severe flooding, further highlighting the challenges posed by poor drainage in commercial hubs despite the administration’s broader efforts to clear major arteries.

Four electrocuted

Four people died of electrocution, while the fifth died due to a falling structure in the metropolis on Thursday.

Officials said Shahabuddin, 40, was trying to fix an electrical problem near Pakistan Kanta in Ahsanabad when he suffered an electric shock and died.

Police said the deceased was said to be an employee of K-Electric. In PIB Colony, Abdul Waleed, 35, died when he touched an electric pole near Faizan Masjid at around 3:35pm.

Surjani Town SHO Sohail Khaskheli told Dawn that a seven-year-old girl, Dua Batool Sarfraz, died when she suffered an electric shock inside her home in Sector-7-A.

He said in another similar incident, a young man, identified as Sartaj, 23, suffered an electric shock while working inside a home in Hasan Brohi Goth near Bashir Chowk and died.

In Pak Colony, due to heavy rains, the structure of a three-storey building was adversely affected, and the wall of the second floor fell on the road, killing a passerby.

Also, the roof of a building in Ranchhor Line collapsed. However, no casualty was reported since the building was already evacuated, a Rescue-1122 official said.

Power outages

The rain also affected the power supply system of KE across the city.

Many areas faced power outages with the first drop of rain and remained without electricity for hours.

KE conceded that the rain had affected its 500 feeders.

In a social media post, a KE spokesperson said that around 500 feeders, out of a total of 2,100, were initially affected due to the rain. However, the situation improved after the rain stopped. “By 6:30 PM, the number of affected feeders had dropped to approximately 120,” he added.

Civic bodies appear better prepared

Despite the intensity of the downpour, the city authorities appeared better prepared compared to previous spells.

Major thoroughfares that were submerged during peak rainfall were cleared within a couple of hours, allowing traffic flow to resume relatively quickly.

Led by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, municipal teams were deployed promptly to drain accumulated water and manage emergency responses.

However, by late evening, the situation remained challenging in several residential neighbourhoods, particularly in low-lying areas where accumulated rainwater persisted.

The streets in these localities remained inundated, disrupting daily life and raising concerns about sanitation.

Mayor Wahab, in a video statement late in the evening, said the overall situation in the city remained under control following the day’s rainfall, with traffic continuing to flow on major arteries.

Speaking after visits to different areas, he said he had been monitoring conditions on the ground with his team, claiming that all major underpasses were open.

While some complaints were received from a few localities that temporarily affected traffic movement, he said municipal teams responded promptly and drained accumulated water, leading to an improvement in the situation.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2026