Heavy monsoon rains inundated the streets of Karachi, Pakistan's most populous city, at the weekend and left five people dead, officials confirmed on Monday.
"At least five people were killed in different parts of the Karachi city," said Mohammad Shafi, a spokesperson for the provincial disaster management authority. Another 12 people have already lost their lives since the start of monsoon season this year, he said.
Scenes from the deluged city were aired live by local media.
Karachi has more than 15 million residents. The vast majority lives in slums. The metropolis is in the headlines every year for urban flooding caused by poor urban development, development in flood plains and clogged drainage system.
Experts believe that extreme precipitation and flows in short spans of time are also responsible for urban flooding.
"Feel sorry about the loss of life due to recent rains in Karachi," Governor Sindh Imran Ismail said on Monday. He said we will try and make arrangements to deal with such situations in the future.
Pakistan's Met office predicted 20 per cent more rain and urban flooding this monsoon season and asked authorities to take precautionary measures.
Flash floods, land erosion, cloudbursts, droughts and smog resulting in low air quality have been on the rise in Pakistan in recent years.
Climate experts say it was the impact of global warming due to the country's proximity with highly industrialised China and India.
