Flash floods caused by unprecedented monsoon rains have engulfed large parts of Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi, shutting down businesses, shops and markets.
Pakistan Stock Exchange will continue trading, although the government of southern Sindh province, which has Karachi as its capital, announced a holiday to tackle the what it called “disaster-like” situation. At least 15 people have been killed in rain-related accidents, Sohail Rajput, Karachi’s commissioner, said on phone.
Troops were deployed to rescue people from submerged parts of the city of 22 million, while television channels showed footage of flood waters gushing through the roads, streets and homes.
More nationwide rains are predicted on Friday, according to a statement by Pakistan Meteorological Department on its website. The weather office recorded a total of 345 millimeters of rain in August so far, breaking the previous record of 298 millimeters in the month, the office of the Sindh chief minister said in a statement.