Karachi, April 2 At least 12 people died within 24 hours due to heavy rains, thunderstorms, and flash floods that affected various provinces of Pakistan. An average of 30 to 45 mm of rain over four hours disrupted life in Karachi on Thursday.
Authorities declared a state of emergency in Karachi after heavy rains began on Thursday morning, causing urban flooding and severe disruption of normal life and traffic in the city.
Rescue services, including the Edhi Trust and Chippa Welfare, confirmed five deaths due to electrocution and collapsing house walls in different areas.
As strong winds and cold weather swept across Karachi, signboards were uprooted, trees fell, and roads in many areas were flooded, forcing authorities to declare an emergency.
Power supply was also disrupted in many parts of the city as soon as the rains started.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the average rainfall in Karachi varied from 45 mm to 30 mm in different locations by Thursday afternoon.
According to official PMD data, the highest rainfall was recorded in Nazimabad (Paposh Nagar) at 69.6 millimeters, followed by Kemari with 56 mm and Saadi Town with 48 mm from 10 am to 2 pm.
The met office said that the average rainfall in Karachi varied from 30 mm to 45 mm in different locations.
PMD meteorologist Anjum Nazir in Karachi said that two more heavy spells of rain are likely to affect Karachi later Thursday evening and late at night.
In Balochistan, the Pakistan Disaster Management Cell reported seven deaths in various parts of the province, including Turbat, Kohlo, Jaffarabad, Loralai, Harnai, and Quetta, due to heavy rains since Wednesday.
Around 100 houses were damaged and 50 livestock were killed in the heavy rains, which also caused flash floods and flooding in Killa Abdullah, about 100 kilometers northwest of Quetta, the province's capital.
A passenger bus with 15 people on board was swept away in the Killa Abdullah area, officials said. Rescue teams are trying to locate the bus to rescue the passengers.
The PMD in its forecast also said that a Westerly wave is likely to affect the upper parts of the country from Thursday night and is expected to persist until April 8 with intermittent rain.
Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rain/thunderstorms and gusty winds, accompanied by moderate to heavy rainfall and snowfall over hilltops, are expected in several areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the PMD said.
Several districts in the Himalayan mountain areas will also be affected, and the persistent precipitation, coupled with snowmelt in high-altitude catchments, and intense runoff generation may significantly aggravate hydro-meteorological hazards in vulnerable valleys with a probability of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in vulnerable glaciated basins and downstream settlements, the PMD warned.
Heavy rainfall over steep slopes may trigger landslides, mudslides, debris flow, and rockfall in mountainous districts, it said, adding that a sudden rise in discharge is expected in the Chitral River, Swat River, and associated tributaries.
