The death toll from rains in Karachi has risen to 8 as more rains are expected in Sindh in the coming days.

At least 10 people lost their lives in incidents of electrocution, drowning and wall collapse, as neighbourhoods turned into lakes and families struggled to reach safety.

DUBAI: A continuous spell of monsoon rains lashed Karachi on Tuesday, plunging Pakistan’s largest city into chaos.

At least 10 people lost their lives in incidents of electrocution, drowning and wall collapse, as neighbourhoods turned into lakes and families struggled to reach safety.

The Sindh government declared a public holiday on Wednesday, August 20, closing schools and offices across Karachi in a desperate attempt to keep citizens away from waterlogged roads while relief operations continued.

From Malir to North Karachi, residents spent the night fighting floodwaters from entering their homes. Pakistani media reported that families in Korangi Crossing and Liaquatabad piled furniture on bricks and beds in an attempt to save their belongings. “The water reached my waist inside the house,” said Abdul Hameed, a shopkeeper in Baldia Town, who moved his children to a neighbor’s rooftop.

Water levels rose as high as four feet in several low-lying areas, forcing residents to abandon their vehicles and wade through muddy streets. Hundreds of cars and motorcycles were stranded in the middle of the flood on Shahre-e-Faisal, one of Karachi’s busiest arteries, after engines failed. Parents struggled to lift children on their shoulders, while elderly residents were seen clinging to walls and shop shutters for support.

Rescue officials confirmed that three people, including two women, drowned in a storm drain near Guru Mandir, while four people died when a house wall collapsed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. A motorcyclist near a nursery and another youth in DHA lost their lives after being electrocuted by rain-soaked power lines.

Jinnah International Airport was brought to a near standstill by the torrential rains. At least eight flights were cancelled, 20 were delayed and several inbound flights, including one to Dubai, were diverted to other cities.

Meanwhile, power outages across Karachi plunged entire districts into darkness. Internet and mobile phone services were also snapped, leaving thousands of families without their loved ones. K-Electric said the temporary shutdown was in place “for public safety” in the waterlogged areas.

Mayor Murtaza Wahab declared a rain emergency, cancelled staff leave and ordered rescue and sanitation teams to take to the streets. Governor Kamran Tessori opened the Governor's House to stranded citizens and was seen personally helping push vehicles stuck in waist-deep water.