Record-breaking downpours in Karachi may affect country’s exports

The record-breaking downpours in Karachi may affect Pakistan’s exports for the month of August due to the delay in export shipments, Prime Minister’s advisor on Trade Abdul Razak Dawood on Wednesday

“It appears that because of the heavy rains, particularly in Karachi, our export consignments are being delayed and hence our exports for the month of August may be affected,” tweeted Dawood.

He said that the exporters facing any difficulties “may please be brought to the notice of the MOC.”

On Tuesday, the Met Office confirmed that the 36-year record of monsoon rain was broken after the heavy rainfall in Karachi.

The Met office recorded up to 345 millimeters of rain at PAF Faisal Base, which broke the 36-year record previously recorded up to 298.4 in 1984. Furthermore, heavy rainfall— up to 272 mm was also recorded at the Masroor Base in 2007, whereas, August 2020’s rainfall was recorded up to 228.5 mm so far and it is still accumulating.

In 1979, 262.5 mm rain had been recorded in MOS Old Airport while the recent downpour was 168.9 in the same area.

The Met Office further reported that 114 mm rain was recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, 83 mm in Sadar, 81 in Landhi, 77.8 at University Road, 76.6 in Nazimabad, 70.8 in Saadi Town, 65.8 at Jinnah Terminal, 49.8 in North Karachi, 42.8 in Surjani and the lowest amount of downpour was 21.9 mm in Keamari.

After Tuesday’s heavy downpour, Karachi is facing a situation of urban flooding, as knee-long rainwater gathered at Saddar, M.A. Jinnah Road, and Tibet Centre, Sohrab Goth, Shara-e-Faisal, Malir and Landhi, Safoora Chowrangi, NIPA Chowrangi, Hassan Square and People’s Chowrangi. The roads at KDA Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi, and Hyderi areas drowned under the water disturbing traffic flow.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has declared rain emergency across the province after heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Karachi, Hyderabad and several other cities of the province.