• Majority of fatalities reported from Baldia Town where wall of telephone exchange collapsed
• Many areas suffer prolonged power outages
• Man, his wife die in roof collapse in Landhi
• Korangi gets highest 55mm of rainfall
KARACHI: At least 16 people were killed and many others injured after heavy rain and strong winds lashed Karachi on Wednesday evening, officials said.
Thirteen of them were killed when a wall collapsed in Baldia Town.
The Met Office said wind speeds reached up to 97 kilometres per hour in Mauripur, while the Karachi airport recorded gusts of 92km per hour and Sharea Faisal witnessed winds blowing at 90 kilometres per hour.
The rain began at around 9pm in most parts of Karachi, affecting nearly all seven districts of the city. The intensity of the rainfall remained moderate in many areas, while some localities experienced only light drizzle.
However, strong winds along with thunder and lightning created a sense of fear and concern among residents.
DIG-South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that in Mowach Goth, many people were sitting beside the wall of the Baldia Town Telephone Exchange within the remit of the Saeedabad police station when it collapsed on them due to strong winds.
The Rescue 1122 said that at least 13 of them died in the incident.
The bodies were shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi while efforts were underway to retrieve others from the rubble, he added.
In Landhi area, a man and his wife were killed when the roof of their house caved in. They were identified as Sher Ali, 48, and his wife Riasat, 45.
In many areas, reports were also received of trees falling due to the powerful gusts of wind.
In Korangi, a man was killed when a tree was uprooted and fell on him.
In Clifton, the officials said, Ishfaq, 32, and his mother were travelling on a motorbike when the rain started and they took shelter under a tree near the Driving Licence Branch. Due to strong winds, a tree was uprooted and fell on them.
A Rescue-1122 team rushed to the scene, evacuated them, and shifted Ishfaq to a hospital. Efforts were underway to retrieve his mother.
According to the Met Office, rainfall was reported in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulzar-i-Hijri, North Karachi, Surjani Town, North Nazimabad, Saddar, Tower, Sharea Faisal, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Federal B Area, Hassan Square, Manghopir, SITE, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Defence and Clifton.
It said Korangi recorded the highest amount of rainfall, 55.6mm. As per the figures up to 11pm, Mauripur recorded 22mm and DHA Phase-II 15mm.
Other areas received comparatively lighter rainfall, including Gulistan-i-Jauhar 13mm, Keamari 12mm, Airport Old Area 9mm, Sharea Faisal 9mm, Saddar Town 9mm, and Jinnah Terminal 8mm.
The short spell of rain once again exposed the city’s fragile civic infrastructure, as water accumulated in several areas and disrupted the flow of traffic across major roads. Commuters faced delays, while low-lying neighbourhoods reported standing water that hampered daily activities.
