KARACHI: The city is likely to see partly cloudy skies with light rain or drizzling today (Friday), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said, following a massive storm that broke a 41-year-old record for the month of April.
While the heavy downpour has stopped, the weather remains cold across the city. The Met Office said that the westerly wave is now moving toward the southeast, and while no heavy rain is expected in Karachi today, the system will continue to affect other parts of the country until tomorrow (April 4).
According to PMD, Karachi reported 38.7 millimetres of rain in just 24 hours, which officially broke the previous April record of 37mm, which was set back on April 2, 1985.
The record-breaking rain has caused temperatures to plunge across Karachi. Last night, the minimum temperature was recorded at 16°C, which is 5.8°C lower than the usual average for this time of year.
Normally, Karachi sees an average temperature of 21.8°C in April, but this recent spell has left the city feeling much colder than normal.
The recent wet spell turned deadly, with the total death toll rising to seven over the last two days. A person in Gulistan-e-Jauhar block 7 reportedly died after being electrocuted during the rain.
Besides the latest casualty, several other tragic incidents were also reported on Thursday, with five deaths from electric shocks in areas like Surjani Town, PIB Colony, and near MA Jinnah Road.
In Old Golimar, a wall collapsed onto a rickshaw, killing the driver on the spot. Another wall collapse in Orangi Town left three children injured. Rescue teams reached the scene quickly and moved the children to a nearby hospital for medical help.
The heavy rain that started on Thursday morning and continued overnight into Friday in intermittent spells caused major problems for residents. Many low-lying areas were flooded and couldn't be cleared for hours. Safoora Chowrangi and Hassan Square were the worst hit.
Water on the main roads left commuters stuck in long traffic jams for hours. Power supply was also hit hard, as many electricity feeders tripped, leaving several neighborhoods in the dark.
The Met Office shared rainfall data from across the city, showing that Nazimabad was the wettest area with 97.4mm of rain.
Other high totals included Surjani Town with 67mm, Keamari with 76mm,
Other areas like DHA, Orangi Town, and Jinnah Terminal also saw significant rainfall.
The downpour was not limited to Karachi. Other parts of the province also saw heavy falls, including Mohenjo-Daro, which recorded 50mm of rain. Jacobabad, Dadu, and Hyderabad also reported rainfall.
The provincial government said it is taking steps to drain the rainwater and restore the flow of traffic on busy roads. While the rain has provided a rare refresh for the city, authorities remain on alert as the weather system continues to pass through the region.
