Pakistan: 24 children among 62 killed in rain-related incidents

Jul 12, 2022

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 12 : Rains continue to wreak havoc in Balochistan claiming 62 lives, including 24 children and impacting hundreds of people in the region, officials said.
Pakistan's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that the deaths took place in Bolan, Quetta, Zhob, Dakki, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Ketch, Mastung, Harnai, Qila Saifullah and Sibi, ARY News reported.
Owing to the heavy rainfall, around 48 people were injured in various accidents in Balochistan province, while more than 670 houses collapsed.
Due to the recent monsoon rains, the water level in Hub Dam has risen to 334 feet, while the capacity is 339 feet, ARY News reported.
On Monday, Karachi received a heavy spell of rain in Korangi, Saddar, Nipa Chowrangi, People's Chowrangi, Superhighway, and other parts of the city.
Parts of the city submerged after heavy rainfall, further exposing the tall claims of the provincial authorities who imposed a rain emergency to deal with the situation.
Owing to the heavy rainfalls, three people were electrocuted including two in the Garden's Shoe Market area while another man died of electrocution in the Bilal Colony area of Korangi.
Several roads in the city were filled with water and closed for traffic. The police officials said the traffic has been severely affected due to the accumulation of water, while the flow of the water at Korangi Causeway Road has increased after overnight showers.
The accumulation of water also led to power outages in the South Asian Country as 500 feeders were shut due to the accumulation of water in those places and the metropolis was provided with electricity from 1,400 out of 1,900 power feeders. Frequent load-shedding across the country has left the people suffering in sweltering high temperatures.
According to the Met Office, the received at most rainfall-119.5 mm- at PAF Base Masroor during the last 24 hours, followed by 106.6 mm in Defence phase II, 56.2 mm in Orangi Town, 56 mm in Quaidabad, 49.8 mm at Old Airport, 46.5 mm in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, 31.8 mm in Nazimabad, 29.6mm at Jinnah Terminal, 14.4 mm at Surjani Town, and 14.8 mm at University Road.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted widespread rains in Karachi and other parts of Sindh From July 14.
According to the PMD's advisory, a strong rain system will enter Pakistan from July 14, which is likely to gradually spread over central and upper Sindh, ARY News reported.
In a statement, Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz said that the strong rain system is currently present in Eastern India and will enter Pakistan on July 14 from Rajasthan. Karachi would receive widespread rain till July 18 or 19, the PMD chief said.
Meanwhile, the Shehbaz Sharif government has blamed its predecessor Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for the energy shortfall.