Three days of rains kill 87 in Pakistan, disrupt life in Karachi; at least a thousand homes damaged

Karachi: Three days of monsoon rains have killed at least 87 people and damaged 1,000 homes across Pakistan, the country’s national disaster management agency said Tuesday, as another spell of heavy rain lashed the port city of Karachi. Streets and homes were flooded with sewage water in Karachi, where the drainage and sewage systems are outdated. Of the total of the rain-related casualties, 31 deaths were reported in southern Sindh province, while 23 people died in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the agency. It said 15 deaths were reported in southwestern Baluchistan province and eight in Punjab province. Ten more people died elsewhere in northern Pakistan. Three people also died in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The rains are expected to continue this week in Karachi, where Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month sent troops to help local authorities in pumping out rainwater from inundated residential areas. Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning. The monsoon season runs from July through September.