Tropical storm Phet, which has turned towards Pakistan after battering Oman, today resulted in heavy rains that caused widespread flooding in this southern port city and surrounding areas.
The storm that brewed in the Arabian Sea was raging about 200 km from the coast of Sindh province.
It was expected to hit land later in the day, bringing more rain and winds with speeds of up to 80 km per hour, the Disaster Management Authority said.
Many roads in Karachi, a city of over 16 million, were under two to three feet of water in Karachi.
The flooding of power plants affected the supply of electricity in several parts of the city, officials said.
Karachi has been hit by heavy rains since last night and 133 mm of rain was recorded at one spot. The winds accompanying the rains uprooted trees and power pylons. The rains also disrupted train services.
At least two persons were killed when the tropical storm Phet, which means diamond in the Thai language, hit Oman on Friday.
The storm is expected to hit Karachi, Thatta, Kati Bandar, Shahi Bandar, Bhimbhor, Jati and Mirpur Sakro along the coast in Sindh, officials said.
Roads, bridges and drainage systems in these areas are in a bad condition, making them vulnerable to high winds and heavy rain.
Meteorological Department Director General Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry said the storm could smash into the Sindh coast with a pace of 100 km per hour.
He said it might cause waves that are three to five metres high.
The Pakistan Army today mobilised its soldiers for rescue and relief operations in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
The Inter-Services Public Relations said four battalions were on high alert in coastal areas.
Several motorists were injured in accidents on the waterlogged roads of Karachi. Among the key roads blocked by the rain are Shahrah-e-Faisal, M A Jinnah Road, Bolton Road and University Road.
The heavy rains also inundated some 40 villages near the port of Gwadar in Balochistan province. The residents of these villages were shifted to safer places.
Floodwater entered the building of Radio Pakistan in Gwadar, which received over 370 mm of rain.
Over 15,000 people living on Baba and Bhit, two small fishing islands near Karachi port, were also evacuated yesterday.
The Pakistan Navy rescued six fishermen trapped by the storm two kilometres off the coast in Jiwani area.
