News Desk |
Karachi’s biggest cattle market is drowning in rainwater, creating a major catastrophe for powerless livestock traders and their animals. Any delays in the process of draining the water can cause millions worth of losses to cattle traders who set up roadside markets across the country to sell their cattle before Eid ul Azha.
The cattle traders have launched complaints against the authorities of Karachi, appalled at their indifference to their plight. The traders claim that their animals are dying, and the accumulation of rainwater has made it difficult for them to take out their animals and exit these circumstances.
On Tuesday afternoon, due to the heavy downpour across the hills, and the spillage of in the Lat Dam, situated in Gadap Town, the rainwater found its way to the Super Highway, and after drowning villages, it blocked the flow of the traffic, forcing thousands of containers and trucks to remain stranded on the Highway.
Thando Dam and Lat Dam have been overflowing dangerously, disconnecting the Super Highway with countless villages, and by Wednesday evening, all the roads connecting the small villages with the arterial highway have been flooded with water.
The traffic was resumed on Wednesday morning; however, the Northern Bypass still denies access to the main Super Highway as different parts of the road remain disconnected.
Cattle is Drowning
The cattle market is drowning in the water accumulated through drainage vents located on the arterial Super Highway, and by Wednesday morning, the traders were struggling to relocate their animals, which were completely submerged in the water. Many traders hesitant to unload their animals from the trucks in order to keep them dry and safe.
Rainwater has destroyed animal feed, rice husk and other crop reserves. The traders claim that the local authorities have not been helpful. However, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ahmed Shalwani stated that the process of draining the water has been initiated. Shalwani noted that it will take a few days to normalize the situation, and if requested, the authorities will be willing to provide alternative locations for cattle traders.
Read more: 12 killed as flooding paralyses Karachi
Rainwater Wreaks Havoc
The unceasing downpour has wreaked havoc across Karachi’s villages and residential colonies, especially the West district. Majority of the residential societies located across Scheme 33, including Saadi Garden, Madina Colony, Gulshan-e-Usman and Abdullah Shah Ghazi Goth, amongst other nearby colonies were flooded with rainwater.
Hundreds of families have reported that their houses in Madina Colony and Abdullah Shah Ghazi Goth have been flooded with rainwater, forcing them to stay on the rooftops. Thando Dam and Lat Dam have been overflowing dangerously, disconnecting the Super Highway with countless villages, and by Wednesday evening, all the roads connecting the small villages with the arterial highway have been flooded with water.
The authorities claim that the relevant administrative departments have initiated a rescue operation, however, the locals deny receiving any assistance.
Rescue Operation Underway
Residents of the water-flooded regions stated that the local administration has not provided any relief or rehabilitation services, despite their claims of being engaged in the rehabilitation process.
The Pakistan Rangers personnel launched rescue operations on the Northern Bypass, which has suffered grave damages due to flooding, causing roadblocks that have disturbed the traffic flow.
Commissioner Shalwani had stated that the rescue operation is underway, and once it is completed, the administration will focus on relief and rehabilitation. While the role of the local administration remains ambiguous and absent, personnel of the Pakistan Army energetically participated in the rescue operation to extract stranded families from Karachi and Hyderabad.
The Rangers shifted the affected families to safer locations, and they have constructed an 800-meter safety wall as a temporary solution to ward off the flow of water.
Since Wednesday, at least 12 deaths have been reported from Karachi, as confirmed by hospitals, and charitable healthcare organizations, due to electrocutions caused by badly-maintained electric wires and power lines. Large parts of the port city are suffering from day-long power outage, and the Edhi Foundation, which vigorously took part in the rescue operations in various parts of Karachi, has confirmed that at least 15 people have died in the recent flooding episode.
The Pakistan Army was called in to assist the local administration in ensuring that the rainwater does not penetrate the K-Electric grid station. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, electricity supply has been suspended to multiple colonies and parts of Karachi, including the Super Highway, Sohrab Goth and other regions.
Read more: Cattle Mandi: Pakistan’s famous attraction
Earlier on Wednesday, the Pakistan Rangers personnel launched rescue operations on the Northern Bypass, which has suffered grave damages due to flooding, causing roadblocks that have disturbed the traffic flow. The Rangers personnel are engaged in rescue operations to restore the traffic flow and fix the roadside pits on the Northern Bypass.