Conflicting Rainfall Figures Raise Eyebrows
HYDERABAD:
Hyderabad was battered by torrential monsoon rains on Monday and Tuesday, plunging large parts of the city into chaos as urban flooding, power breakdowns, and damaged infrastructure disrupted daily life.
While residents struggled with knee-deep water in several neighborhoods, confusion mounted over how much rain actually fell. Local authorities claimed Latifabad alone received an astonishing 280 millimeters of rain within 24 hours, with City taluka recording 268 mm, Qasimabad 185 mm, and Rural Hyderabad 158 mm.
In sharp contrast, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported far lower figures just 85 mm for Hyderabad. A PMD official, when asked about the gap, admitted his bafflement: “I don’t understand how there can be such a major discrepancy.”
City Under Water
The downpour left main roads, intersections, and low-lying colonies submerged. The district administration scrambled to respond, deploying diesel-powered dewatering pumps across the city.
Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro and Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abedin Memon personally inspected pumping stations, stressing that unlike in past years, the city was relying less on the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and more on diesel generators to keep equipment running through outages.
By Tuesday morning, the mayor insisted most key arteries had been cleared and traffic restored. Sanitary workers were also dispatched for emergency drain and nullah cleaning.
Power Struggles
Electricity cuts compounded the misery. According to HESCO spokesman Sadiq Kubar, by 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, 99 feeders had been restored while 55 were still down. Later in the day, the company claimed that 124 feeders were back online, though 30 remained out of service. Officials declined to confirm how many feeders had tripped during the overnight blackout.
Record-Breaking Bursts
Local officials reported the heaviest three-hour spell in Latifabad, with 72 mm between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Tuesday. City taluka logged 68 mm in the same window, while Qasimabad and Rural Hyderabad saw peak bursts of 45 mm and 40 mm between 11 p.m. Monday and 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Schools and Universities Shut
With floodwaters disrupting mobility and safety, all public and private educational institutions in Hyderabad were ordered closed on Tuesday. Universities, including Sindh University Jamshoro, suspended classes for September 10.
Rains Hit Wider Sindh
Hyderabad was not alone. Heavy rainfall also lashed several other Sindh districts: Khairpur (81 mm), Tharparkar (69 mm), Naushehro Feroze (59 mm), Dadu (46 mm), and Thatta (38 mm), with additional downpours reported across the Thar region.
