Karachi’s monsoon season brings a brief respite from the heat, with overcast skies and cooler temperatures offering much-appreciated relief from the otherwise very hot summers. In 2022, Karachi came to a standstill as relentless monsoon rain drowned the city in chaos – flooded streets, collapsed infrastructure, widespread power outages due to urban flooding, and tragic loss of lives. It was a stark reminder of the city’s vulnerability, exposing fragile urban planning and overstretched civic systems. Since then, the rain has not returned with the same intensity. But this relative calm begs the question: has Karachi genuinely improved its resilience, or is the city’s fate merely hanging by the mercy of the next thunderstorm?
It is safe to say that the monsoon in Karachi is no longer just a weather event; it’s a stress test for the city’s resilience. While the rain brings respite from the heat, it also exposes the city’s chronic infrastructure issues. Waterlogged streets and pedestrians navigating sewers, traffic congestion as rainwater fully covers the footpaths and pavements on bustling Shahra-e-Faisal are all common sights for Karachiites, which is why even light drizzle results in people wanting to reach the safety of their homes as soon as possible. Talking about homes, safety incidents also see spikes during monsoon, another calamity of a mere hydrometeorological event.
A single blocked access or drain can flood an entire intersection, cutting off access to critical infrastructure.
Due to unplanned construction, in many homes, internal wiring is poorly installed or inadequately insulated, making it vulnerable to seepage as rainwater penetrates through walls and ceilings. This not only disrupts the electricity supply but also leads to severe safety hazards. The lack of adherence to proper building codes further compounds the issue, putting both residents and infrastructure at serious risk during the monsoon season. Despite the seasonal charm, the rains often highlight gaps in urban planning and public safety.
These challenges are deeply intertwined with the city’s broader infrastructure struggles that no single entity can solve alone. And sans the befitting infrastructure, keeping the power running in a megacity like Karachi, during heavy rains, becomes a significant challenge.
With the downpour, many of Karachi’s streets turn into mini rivers, and many main roads become narrower due to pools of stagnant water on the sloping sides. Drainage systems, clogged with plastic waste and unchecked construction debris, fail to cope, leaving entire neighbourhoods submerged at times. The problem becomes more obvious in congested or older localities, but the new or well-planned ones are also no exception. This is not just an inconvenience; it is a major hurdle for power restoration teams. Imagine trying to repair a snapped cable or a damaged transformer when the road leading to it is waist-deep in water. Crews are left waiting for floodwater to recede before they can even begin work, prolonging outages for the concerned communities.
Karachi is not alone in this struggle. Mumbai, facing similar monsoon pressures, has implemented a cross-agency disaster management cell that brings together utilities, drainage boards, and urban planners. Manila, vulnerable to typhoons, mandates infrastructure reviews by power distributors before any zoning approvals are granted. These cities have recognised that sustainable urban safety depends on collaboration – not silos.
Then there is the issue of illegal connections or kundas that snake their way through certain neighbourhoods. These unauthorised hooks overload the system, causing frequent tripping and unpredictable blackouts. In many parts of Karachi, a dense tangle of third-party wires clustered onto a single electricity pole is a common sight. This unregulated web of connections makes it extremely difficult to isolate faults during outages, especially in emergencies or harsh weather conditions. Adding to the risk, these cable and internet wires suspended on electricity poles often collapse during storms or heavy rain, creating dangerous safety hazards for pedestrians and vehicles alike. When a single kunda causes a feeder to trip, entire blocks go dark, and the time it takes to restore power increases.
These conditions frequently disrupt the electricity supply, often causing outages longer than usual. According to representatives of the power company, public safety remains their foremost priority. In situations where the environment poses a risk – such as potential electrical leakages or water ingress – they are compelled to shut off power as a precautionary measure. However, it is important to note that they are not responsible for the maintenance of streetlight poles, which ironically account for a large share of accidents due to structural collapse during extreme weather. Alarming statistics reveal that 25% of electrocution incidents stem from illegal construction, 48% from compromised safe distances between electrical infrastructure and surrounding structures, and 17% from the encroachment of internet and cable wires on power poles – further underscoring the need for collaborative urban planning and stricter enforcement of safety standards.
To continuously improve the situation, K-Electric has invested in upgrading transmission lines, installing more weather-resistant equipment, and expanding its network of grid stations to reduce strain on the system. In many neighbourhoods, replacing old cables and transformers has helped minimise breakdowns during moderate rain.
Karachi’s power resilience, however, depends just as much on all civic bodies doing their part. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) play a crucial role in ensuring that storm drains are cleared before the rains hit. When drains are clogged, as reported last year after an investigation into pre-monsoon cleanup delays, flooding becomes inevitable, and power restoration gets harder. Similarly, law enforcement agencies cracking down on cable theft and illegal connections would ease the burden on the grid, reducing unnecessary outages.
The truth is that Karachi’s monsoon woes need to be managed better with coordinated action. What is needed includes Pre-Rain Preparations, where all civic agencies prioritise drain-clearing drives well before the monsoon starts. Talking of clearance, encroachments should not be excluded. A single blocked access or drain can flood an entire intersection, cutting off access to critical infrastructure. This needs to be coupled with Community Vigilance, where residents can help by reporting illegal connections and avoiding risky behaviour, like touching wet poles or stepping into water near electrical equipment. Small actions, like proper waste disposal to prevent drain blockages, also make a difference. Faster response is also possible through efficient use of technology and tools like the KE Live App and SMS alerts that help bridge the gap between citizens and repair teams, but more awareness is needed so people know how and when to use them.
The citizens of Karachi are no strangers to hardship, but they also know the power of resilience and collective action. The frustration over rain calamities is understandable, and no one should have to endure the monsoon season under such strain. But turning this frustration into progress requires acknowledging that the root challenges-unplanned urban growth, weak infrastructure, and lack of coordinated planning – run deeper than any single organisation.
If Karachi is to weather future storms – both literal and systemic – it will demand a citywide shift toward smarter urban planning, better regulation, and multi-agency collaboration. The monsoon doesn’t just test our systems; it presents an opportunity to rebuild them – stronger, safer, and with the people of Karachi at the centre of every decision.
The writer is a communications professional and writes about technology, education and societal issues. She can be reached at hadiazaid2021
@gmail.com