Over 160 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc in Pakistan

Islamabad, Aug 12 (IANS) A total of 161 people have been killed and 137 others injured in rain-related incidents since July across the country due to the current monsoon-triggered heavy rains, confirmed an official from Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority.

Saqib Mumtaz, the focal person for media from the disaster management authority, told Xinhua on Sunday that the current spell of rains is likely to subside from Karachi on Monday, with the rain-causing low air pressure receding to Arabian Sea off the Karachi coast, Xinhua reported.

At least 11 people were killed and dozens others injured in separate rain-related accidents in Karachi of Pakistan's south Sindh province over the last two days, local media reported Sunday.

Torrential rains, which was recorded as high as 192 mm per hour, caused urban flooding by inundating low-lying areas and main thoroughfares in the city, trapping people inside their houses and disrupting road and railway traffic, local Samaa TV reported.

Most of the fatalities happened due to incidents of roof collapse and electrocution, the report said, adding that dozens of animals, which people bought to slaughter on Eid, which falls on Monday, have also been electrocuted or washed away in the flash floods caused by rains.

Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah told a press briefing that dozens of people have been displaced by the rains, and they have made arrangements for them in make-shift tents where they are being provided with food, bedding and medicine.

Electricity supply was interrupted in 35 percent of the city, as about 500 electricity feeders were turned off due to bad weather conditions. Karachi Electric, the electricity provider to the city, said in a series of tweets on Sunday that they themselves suspended electricity supply to some of the areas submerging in the rain water to avoid electrocution.

Authorities in the city have also asked the citizens to stay away from power poles and stay indoors during the rain to avoid any accident.

In some areas, the army and the paramilitary troops were called in to assist the Sindh provincial authorities to carry out rescue operation to recover the stranded people.

Earlier on Saturday, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Sindh issued a flood warning after witnessing a rise in key barrages.

It is the second spell of monsoon rains in the city in less than three weeks. Earlier in the last week of July, about 25 people were killed in Karachi during the first spell of the rains.