Recent heavy rainfall in Pakistan has caused severe flash flooding in the city of Karachi and triggered a deadly landslide in Punjab.
Karachi
Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) recorded 86 mm of rain in 24 hours at the Gulshan-e-Hadeed weather station in Malir District of Karachi on 27 July. During the same period, the weather stations at Surjani Town recorded 73 mm of rain, University Road 81 mm and North Karachi 62 mm.
Drainage systems were overwhelmed and several parts of the city and surrounding areas were flooded. Power lines were downed and buildings damaged or destroyed. Local media reported that at least 10 people had lost their lives as a result of either electrocution or structural collapse.
Videos on Social Media showed garbage-filled flood waters racing through streets of Orangi Town.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that clean up operations were being carried out by local authorities assisted by teams from the Pakistan Army.
Commissioner of Karachi, Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, said via Social Media that district municipal authorities had removed more than 50,000 cubic feet (1,415 cubic metres) of garbage from the Gujjar Nala (stream) one of the main streams running through Karachi.
Punjab
Meanwhile in the province of Punjab, 3 young people died and one was injured after heavy rain triggered a landslide in Orakzai District on 27 July, according to NDMA.
Social Media
#Orangi town #Karachi today
Video via journalist #MariamHassan pic.twitter.com/HJIRPZASGm— Amar Guriro (@amarguriro) July 27, 2020
Karachi has drowned again today. The greatest city of this country ruined by establishment, most by MQM & Peoples Party many opportunistic politicians & corrupt officers over the decades turned an International city into garbage & sewerage disaster #Karachi pic.twitter.com/gBmRRKSYCV
— Muhammad Junaid (@junaidmuhammadd) July 26, 2020
Outside my office in NN #Karachi 🚣♀️ pic.twitter.com/0viaMGFnjy
— Erum Lakhani (@ErumAsaad) July 27, 2020
Gujjar Nala at 23:50 with more than 50000 cubic feet of garbage sucked out by district municipal authorities pic.twitter.com/p0of2atls5
— Commissioner Karachi (@CommissionerKhi) July 27, 2020