KARACHI: Twenty people died and eight were injured as a result of a thunderstorm that swept through Karachi on Wednesday night, the city police said on Thursday.
Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the city and caused casualties related to falling debris and wall collapses, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said a westerly wave was affecting most parts of the country.
Additional Inspector General of Police Azad Khan told Dawn that, according to police records, 13 of the deaths occurred during a wall collapse in Saeedabad and two more due to a wall collapse in Quaidabad. Two were also injured in a wall collapse in Keamari.
Separately, roof collapses killed one and injured three people in Gulistan-i- Jauhar, as well as causing one death and two injuries in the Mominabad area of Orangi Town. One person also died in a roof collapse in Malir’s Sukhan area, while one person died and one was injured in Clifton after being hit by debris from the storm.
Additionally, Khan said that one death was caused by a lightning strike in Shah Latif Town.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rainfall in Karachi and other areas of Sindh on Thursday as a westerly wave continues to affect most parts of the country.
In its three-day forecast for the Karachi division, the PMD predicted continued cloudy weather and “chances of wind-thunderstorms or rain with a few moderate to isolated heavy falls” on Thursday.
Temperatures will reach highs of 24-26 degrees Celsius and a low of 18.5°C, with humidity reaching 82 per cent in the daytime and falling to between 40 and 50pc in the evening. A northwesterly wind is predicted to turn southwesterly, it added.
As of 11am, the highest level of rainfall was recorded in Keamari at 8mm, followed by Surjani Town (4.5mm).
Friday is predicted to see a respite from the rainfall with “mostly sunny” weather, raising temperatures to a maximum of 27-29°C as lows remain around 18-20°C.
Humidity is forecast to be similar to the previous day, at around 75-85pc in the daytime and 45-55pc in the evening, while the wind will turn from northeasterly to southwesterly.
Saturday, which is expected to be the first day of Eid, will once again bring cloudy weather with a chance of isolated thunderstorms or rain on the outskirts of Karachi. Temperatures are forecast to remain similar, with highs of 27-29°C and lows of 19-21°C. High daytime humidity levels of 85-95pc will lower to 50-6opc in the evening, with a west/southwesterly wind becoming southwesterly.
On Wednesday, according to measurements taken up to 11pm, Korangi saw the most rainfall, at 55.6mm. This was followed by Nazimabad at 29.6mm and PAF Masroor Base (Mauripur) at 22mm.
The PMD’s daily weather outlook said that rain/thunderstorms with strong winds and isolated hailstorms with “few moderate to isolated heavy falls” were also likely to hit Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Mitiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Umerkot, Tharparker, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Nosheroferoz, Shaheed Benazirabad and Dadu districts today.
Rain and thunderstorms with strong winds are also likely in Larkana, Kamber Shahdad Kot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Ghotki and Sukkur districts today, “with occasional gaps”, it added.
The PMD advised farmers to manage their crops according to the weather conditions and warned of further lightning strikes at isolated places during the forecast period.
Yesterday’s rainfall began at around 9pm in most parts of Karachi, affecting nearly all seven districts of the city. The intensity of the rainfall remained moderate in many areas, while some localities experienced only a light drizzle.
However, strong winds, thunder and lightning created a sense of fear and concern among residents.
According to the Met Office, rainfall was reported in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulzar-i-Hijri, North Karachi, Surjani Town, North Nazimabad, Saddar, Tower, Sharea Faisal, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Federal B Area, Hassan Square, Manghopir, SITE, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Defence and Clifton.
