Rain batters Pakistan's largest city, four dead in wall collapse

Pakistan’s largest city Karachi received a substantial spell of monsoon rain Tuesday morning, cooling temperatures but once again testing city’s fragile drainage, traffic and power systems.

The rainfall varied sharply across districts, with central and northern neighborhoods among the hardest hit.

The heavy rains also triggered structural damage in parts of the city. Four people, including two children, lost their lives when the wall of a house collapsed near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 12. Rescue officials identified the deceased as Maryam, 4, Hamza, 3, Samia, 24, and an unidentified man around 28.

Uneven but heavy rainfall across city

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department's (PMD), Karachi was brought to a standstill by a severe monsoon deluge, with several areas receiving over 100 mm of rain. The downpour was widespread, with the highest rainfall recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, which received 145.0 mm. It was closely followed by the Airport Old Area (138.0 mm), Keamari (137.0 mm), Jinnah Terminal (135.0 mm), and the Met Office on University Road (132.0 mm).

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DHA Phase VII also saw extremely heavy rainfall at 121.0 mm. Other severely affected areas include Saadi Town (123.0 mm), PAF Faisal Base (114.0 mm), Surjani Town (111.2 mm), and North Karachi (108.4 mm). Korangi recorded 96.6 mm, while Nazimabad received 92.0 mm. Gulshan-e-Maymar and PAF Masroor Base reported 75.2 mm and 75.0 mm respectively, followed by Orangi Town at 66.2 mm. The lowest rainfall was noted in Bahria Town at just 4.8 mm. These figures underscore the scale of the downpour that has placed severe strain on the city’s infrastructure.

The Met Office attributed the downpour to a seasonal low-pressure system. While the rain brought much-needed relief from the city’s recent heat and humidity, officials cautioned residents to avoid flooded underpasses and remain alert for further weather advisories. Forecasts suggest cloudy skies with isolated showers may persist.

Traffic disruptions after rains

The showers caused widespread traffic congestion across major arteries. Karachi Traffic Police reported gridlock in District South at Capri Chowk towards Numaish, Shahrah-e-Liaquat, Baba-e-Urdu Chowk, M.A. Jinnah Road, Sharea Faisal (Avari Towers to FTC), II Chundrigar Road, and Fawara Chowk.

In District East, bottlenecks were seen at Bahadurabad, the PAF Bridge towards the city, and University Road. District Central witnessed slow movement at Lasbela Chowk, NIPA towards Sir Syed University, Guru Mandir, Jamshed Road, and Jahangir Road. In District West, traffic built up at Gulbai Chowk, Lakri Godi, Dabba Mor, and PTC Gate.

Several other parts of the city also reported traffic paralysis as flooded streets hampered movement. Officials said traffic police teams were stationed at the affected points to regulate flow and assist commuters.

Power situation

Despite the downpour, K-Electric claimed its distribution system remained “largely stable”, with uninterrupted supply continuing from more than 1,950 out of 2,100 feeders.

The utility said restoration efforts were carried out swiftly in affected areas after clearance from field teams. Power has already been restored in New Neham Road, Jodia Bazaar near City Court, Sheeba Centre on M.A. Jinnah Road, Denso Hall on Bandar Road, Bolton Market, Market Quarters, Napier Quarters Lyari, Daryal Street, and Zeenat Medicine Market.

A spokesperson said staff remained “fully active in the field” while coordinating with city authorities and emergency management agencies. Citizens were urged to report outages or emergencies via the helpline at 118, social media channels, KE WhatsApp, or the KE Live mobile app.