27 killed as rains wreak havoc
10 September, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Widespread rains have wreaked havoc across the country as many houses collapsed, rainwater flooded streets in major cities and 27 people were killed due to electric shock and roof collapses.
Trains were delayed for hours due to the rains, while the night coach service was cancelled, leaving passengers stranded at platforms. Nullahs in DG Khan and Rajanpur were in high flood. The power supply system was disrupted in several cities for long hours.
Ghotki, Obaro, Dharki, Mirpur Mathelo, Khanpur and Mehar also had heavy rains with lightning for more than five hours, submerging roads and streets and disrupting the routine life. Low-lying areas in Hyderabad were also inundated under accumulated rainwater, while the citizens spent sleepless night as water gushed into their houses and power supply broke down.
According to reports, heavy rain lashed coastal areas of Karachi, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Tharparker, Diplo, Badin and Jacobabad, while Zhob, Kalat, Sibbi and Nasirabad in Balochistan also had heavy rain. Six hours of continuous rain in Nasirabad and Jafferabad inundated low-lying areas.
Due to heavy downpour, the water level of the Hub Dam, which supplies drinking water to Karachi, rose by eight feet on the night between Saturday and Sunday. The latest level was reported at 318 feet against the storage capacity of 340 feet. WAPDA officials said the water level was rising steadily.
In Punjab, there were reports of heavy and light rain. Southern Punjab was hit by heavy rain. Reports of rain also came in from Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Vehari, Chichawatni, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Kamaliya, Khanpur, Lahore, Lodhran, Chiniot, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock and Jhelum.
The amounts of rainfall recorded by the meteorological department in different cities were: Khanpur, 173mm; Rahim Yar Khan, 102mm; Okara, 95mm; Sahiwal, 94mm; Bahawalnagar, 83mm; Multan, 77mm; Shorkot, 70mm; Chorr, 68mm; Islamabad, 66mm; Bahawalpur, 64mm; Thatta, 58mm; Toba Tek Singh, 55mm; Hyderabad, 52mm; Larkana, 47mm; DG Khan, 35mm; Faisalabad, 34mm; Lahore, 27mm and Murree, Nawabshah, Mohenjodaro and Sargodha, 25mm.
Four people were killed in Multan, two each in Kamalia, Mian Channu and Lahore, one each in Lodhran, Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh. Torrents in DG Khan and Rajanpur damaged several villages and crops over vast areas.
Rain was also reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the River Kabul was in low flood at Nowshera, where its water discharge was 646,500 cusecs. Water level in the River Khayali was also seen surging.
The meteorological department has forecasted more rain in most parts of the country, including Karachi, during the next 24 hours.
The office said that a low-pressure system had entered eastern Sindh and its adjoining areas. Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents would continue to penetrate the central and southern parts of Pakistan, particularly Sindh, the office said, adding that the westerly wave over western parts of Pakistan had moved northeast and now lay over the northern parts of the country.
Widespread rain and thunderstorms are expected in southern Punjab, while scattered rain and thunderstorms are expected in upper Punjab and Islamabad during the next 24 hours. Heavy rains are expected to cause flash floods in some areas of DG Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions. Widespread rain and thunderstorms are expected in Sukkur and Larkana divisions, while scattered rain and thunderstorms are likely in other parts of Sindh during next 24 hrs. Experts say the rains are expected to die down after 24 hours.
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