KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday offered “every possible support” to
the government of the Pakistani province of
Sindh, as heavy rains battered the provincial
capital, Karachi, on Monday, killing at least
11 people, and leaving large parts of the city
under water and without power on the second
day of Eid Al-Adha.
Dr. Sumaiyya Syed, police surgeon of
Karachi said 11 deaths from
rain-related accidents had been reported at
three government hospitals of the city in the
last 24 hours. Citizens complained of
prolonged power outages and said water,
standing for hours on roads, was entering
their homes, as #KarachiRain trended on
Twitter. There were also traffic jams reported
across the city, with many main
thoroughfares closed for vehicles.
Intense floods have killed dozens and left
hundreds homeless across Pakistan since
monsoon downpours began in mid-June, with
the death toll from rain-related incidents
rising past 150 by Monday.
Heavy rains over the Eid holiday brought to
the fore memories of August 2020, when
record-breaking heavy rain in Karachi killed
over 100 people and disrupted the lives of
many of the city’s more than 15 million
residents as water flooded main roads and
homes.
“A total of 11 rain-related deaths have been
reported in the medico-legal sections of JPMC
[Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center]. CHK
[Civil Hospital Karachi] and ASH [Abbas
Shaheed Hospital] during last 24 hours,” Syed
said.
PM Sharif meanwhile offered all necessary
help to the Sindh government.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic losses due to
torrential rains in Karachi. I am confident
that Sindh govt will rise to the occasion &
bring life back to normal under the able
leadership of CM Sindh. Have offered to
extend every possible support,” Sharif
tweeted.
A statement from the PM House said Sharif
had directed provincial governments and the
National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) to ensure protection of people and
prevention of losses.
“The federal government should provide full
support to the provincial governments and
institutions,” the PM said.
“People in endangered areas should be shifted
to safer places. Provision of temporary shelter
and food to the affected people should be
ensured. Medical teams to be mobilized for
emergency medical aid and prevention of
epidemic diseases.”