Karachi Faces 48-Hour Power Outages as Monsoon Rains Cripple City

Sindh Governor summons K-Electric MD, vows immediate action on prolonged blackouts

KARACHI: Large parts of Karachi and several areas of Sindh have been plunged into darkness for nearly two days following heavy monsoon rains, as residents struggle with prolonged power outages, waterlogging, and damaged infrastructure.

Despite K-Electric’s claim of restoring electricity to 94% of Karachi, many neighborhoods continue to face blackouts lasting between 24 to 48 hours, sparking public anger and street protests. Officials have also warned that the next phase of the monsoon season may bring even greater destruction.

City paralysed by flooding and outages

After two days of torrential rain, several major roads remain flooded, causing traffic disruptions. The Karachi Traffic Police confirmed that while the Clifton Underpass has reopened, other underpasses, along with Korangi Causeway and Korangi River crossings, remain closed for commuters.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, responding to the worsening electricity crisis, announced he would hold urgent talks with the managing director of K-Electric to seek accountability and solutions.

Blackouts across Karachi

Residents of North Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Defence View, Orangi Town, Lyari, Baldia Town, Liaquatabad, Surjani, and the Korangi Industrial Area reported outages extending beyond 36 hours, leaving households without electricity and water.

In Gulistan-e-Jauhar, residents of Block 8 staged a demonstration after remaining without power for over 32 hours, while parts of North Nazimabad complained of nearly 45 hours of blackout. Similar conditions were reported in Hyderabad, where almost 90% of Latifabad and Qasimabad were left in darkness.

KE defends efforts, blames waterlogging

K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi stated that more than 500 feeders tripped during the rainstorm, but assured that power had been restored to most of the city by Wednesday evening. The company said work was ongoing to revive the remaining 100 feeders, but heavy waterlogging had hampered field teams from reaching affected areas.

Governor pledges relief measures

Governor Tessori, alongside MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, toured flood-hit neighborhoods late Wednesday. He revealed that many families in Surjani Town had been forced onto rooftops as floodwater entered their homes. Relief operations, including food distribution and drainage work, have been launched.

The Governor said his complaint cell received over 11,000 calls in a single day, mainly regarding outages, and announced that similar centers would be set up in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.
“This is not just about climate change. Once this crisis subsides, we must confront the real reasons behind these recurring failures,” Tessori said, confirming that K-Electric’s MD had been summoned for a briefing.

Tragic loss of lives

In a separate incident, two brothers were electrocuted in Natha Khan Goth during Tuesday’s downpour. Police identified the victims as Murad (21) and Siraj (16). Their father has lodged a case against K-Electric officials at the Shah Faisal Colony police station, where charges of manslaughter have been included.

Warning of stronger monsoon ahead

Federal Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik has warned that the ongoing monsoon spell may continue until September 10, with the next wave expected to be far more severe.
Speaking on Capital Talk, Malik said urgent preparations were needed to prevent flash floods and cloudbursts from causing catastrophic damage, pointing to the destruction witnessed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah admitted that Karachi’s drainage system, with a 40mm capacity, is unable to handle rainfall exceeding 200mm, making urban flooding inevitable. Environmental experts also highlighted that unchecked stone-crushing in mountains has worsened flood risks in the region.