KARACHI: Historic and record-breaking April rains have inundated major wholesale and commercial centers across Karachi, causing financial losses estimated between Rs 4 to 5 billion, according to traders’ associations.
Business organizations said goods worth crores of rupees were destroyed after rainwater entered warehouses and shops in key markets including Jodia Bazaar, Lighthouse, Aram Bagh, Urdu Bazaar, Medicine Market, Nursery Furniture Market, Gol Market, and Liaquatabad Sarafa Bazaar. Traders warned that the city’s fragile storage and drainage systems had collapsed under the deluge, leaving businesses unable to protect their inventories.
Patron-in-Chief of the All City Traders’ Alliance, Sharjeel Goplani, told reporters that “traders suffered a loss of more than Rs 2 billion due to just one hour of rain.” He urged the Sindh government to immediately compensate affected businesses and ensure an effective drainage system in commercial hubs.
Another leader of the traders’ community, Ismail Lalpuria, criticized the city administration for “once again failing to control the situation arising after the rain,” saying the business community had been left to bear heavy financial losses.
Meanwhile, Atiq Mir, President of the All Karachi Traders’ Alliance, said that the closure of properties and businesses due to just one hour of rain had triggered “irreparable losses” now estimated at more than Rs 5 billion.
The devastation comes as Karachi recorded its highest-ever April rainfall in a single day this week.
Chief Meteorologist Ameer Hyder confirmed that the city received 38.7 mm of precipitation on Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 37 mm set in April 1985. He described the downpour as a “historic weather event,” noting that temperatures also dropped to 16°C compared to the April average of 21.8°C.
The rains have already claimed several lives.
At least 21 people died last month when strong winds and rain caused walls, roofs and trees to collapse. On Thursday night, six more fatalities were reported as torrential showers lashed the city again.
Traders say the combination of unprecedented rainfall and inadequate civic infrastructure has left Karachi’s commercial lifeline battered, with recovery likely to take months unless urgent government intervention is provided.
