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Torrential rains claim 27 lives in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi

WION Web Team
Karachi, PakistanUpdated: Aug 28, 2020, 07:37 AM IST
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Passengers sit on a bus' roof as the vehicles wades through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan's port city of Karachi Photograph:(AFP)

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Videos posted on social media and footage on television channels painted a grim picture of a major collapse of the civic structure in Karachi, with rain water even entering homes in some areas while most main roads remained flooded and closed for traffic.

Torrential rain lashed the Pakistani financial capital of Karachi on Thursday, causing widespread flooding, as downpours in August shattered 89-year-old records for the city, meteorological officials said.

The monsoon showers first lashed the biggest city of Pakistan on Tuesday and has killed at least 27 people according to sources.

Videos posted on social media and footage on television channels painted a grim picture of a major collapse of the civic structure in Karachi, with rain water even entering homes in some areas while most main roads remained flooded and closed for traffic.

Thursday marked the third day of heavy rain this week while residents have been forced to abandon their homes.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that heavy rainfall had caused a "disastrous situation" in Karachi. He instructed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to provide food, water and other essential items, he said.

Provincial authorities were moving displaced families into school buildings, as the military carried out rescue and relief operations.

"It has never rained so much in the month of August, according to our data," the country's chief meteorological officer, Sardar Sarfaraz, said, adding that the data went back to 1931, 16 years before Pakistan gained independence from Britain.

Some 484 mm (19 inches) of rain had fallen this month, 130 mm on Thursday alone, he said.

Abdul Razak Dawood, adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on commerce, feared the rain would hit exports.

"Our exports consignments are being delayed and hence our exports for the month of August may be affected," Dawood said on Twitter.