Karachi( The COW News Digital) Following days of relentless downpours that submerged large parts of Karachi, Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced on Wednesday that all major roads in the city have been cleared. However, he acknowledged shortcomings in the city’s drainage system and pledged improvements in the future.
Speaking to Geo News, the mayor said that although some areas remain waterlogged, pumping operations are underway to ensure drainage. “All major roads in Karachi have now been cleared. Where there are still issues, we are addressing them,” Wahab said.
According to him, Karachi received an extraordinary 235 millimeters of rainfall, far exceeding the city’s existing drainage capacity of 40 millimeters. Defending the municipal administration against criticism, Wahab rejected claims that storm drains had not been cleaned. “If the drains were not cleaned, then how did water drain from so many areas? So far, 30.24 million cubic feet of water has been discharged,” he explained.
The mayor admitted that there were deficiencies in the response, but assured citizens that efforts would be made to overcome them. “Wherever mistakes were made, we will strive to improve,” he added.
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah also commented on the situation, describing the spell as “unprecedented” due to its intensity and duration. He offered apologies to the public for the hardships caused, while assuring that contingency measures were in place in case of further rainfall.
Earlier, Wahab noted that criticism was the right of citizens but urged people to consider the scale of the challenge. “The rain continued for hours, but we were all present on the streets monitoring the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori personally visited several rain-affected neighborhoods on foot, even assisting citizens in restarting vehicles stalled in floodwaters. In a rare gesture, he opened the doors of the Governor House to rain-affected citizens, telling them: “This is your home — you are welcome to stay here.”
On the governor’s instructions, a Rain Emergency Cell has been set up inside the Governor House. Citizens facing severe disruptions due to flooding or traffic chaos can now contact the emergency helpline 1366 for assistance.
Despite the government’s assurances, Karachi’s urban flooding crisis has once again exposed the city’s fragile infrastructure, sparking debate over long-standing issues of poor planning and governance.
