[Arab News]Sindh to study Karachi’s $71m losses after record-breaking rains, flooding

KARACHI: The chief minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Friday ordered a survey to determine the economic losses caused by recent monsoon rains in the area.

Pakistan’s seaside metropolis, which is also known as its commercial capital, was lashed by heavy rains that began on Thursday, causing widespread flooding as the downpour shattered an 89-year-old record for the city.

“The intense rains have caused heavy losses to life and property all over Sindh. I have directed the chief secretary [of the province] to start a survey of all the losses so that they may be compensated accordingly,” Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said during a press conference.

“The losses, including the damage to buildings, life, houses and standing crops, will be documented,” he continued. “Once these losses are assessed, the report will be sent to the prime minister, who has assured me of his support. I am sure he will extend help.”

As the Sindh government begins the documentation work, traders in Karachi estimate that rains have cost them about Rs 12 billion ($71 million) during the week.

“The torrential rain spells and ensuing closures of businesses have caused losses amounting to Rs 10-12 billion so far,” Atiq Mir, president of the All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, told Arab News. “No business activity could be carried out in the last two days.”

He added that property losses due to flooding were yet to be counted since the water had not receded in many areas.

Some traders claim that business centers located in the old city quarters, a cluster of wholesale markets that supply various commodities across the city, had suffered most.

“The old city area has been hugely affected since water has ruined goods worth millions of rupees. Urdu Bazaar, which supplies books and other stationery products to every corner of the city, is almost completely submerged,” Asif Gulfam, chairman of the Alliance of Arambagh Markets, told Arab News.

Most parts of Karachi remained without electricity and telecommunication services on Friday. However, some of its residents still managed to use social media networks to document the situation in their neighborhoods and express frustration.

“We live in Defense Housing Authority (DHA), a posh residential area of Karachi, where there was no electricity for about 30 hours. There was no Wi-Fi, and cellphone service was patchy,” Syed Johar Ali Qandhari, a businessman, said in a Facebook post on Friday.

“There are more than four feet of water in our vicinity since yesterday. About one foot of water is standing on our ground floor. All furniture and other items were drenched in water and damaged.”

In a letter addressed to DHA officials, Karachi Electric, which supplies power to the city, noted that it was forced to switch off several feeders for human and infrastructure safety.

Meanwhile, the country’s meteorological department warned on Friday evening that another monsoon rain-bearing system was likely to enter the province today.

“Heavy rainfall may further aggravate existing urban flooding/water logging in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Badin on Sunday and Monday. Heavy downpour may generate flash flooding in Sibbi, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella and Dera Ghazi Khan during the period,” the department office said in a statement.