Islamabad - At least 40 people were killed and more than 150 injured as heavy winds and premature monsoon rain wreaked havoc in Pakistan's most-populous city of Karachi in southern Sindh province, media reports said Sunday. Temporary roofing and galvanized steel sheets were blown off Saturday afternoon in the blustery conditions in the Gadap locality inhabited mostly by the poverty-stricken class, the Geo News television channel reported.
Thirteen people, including five members of a family, were killed in Gadap where roofs of many dilapidated houses caved in burying the residents under rubble, as heavy showers followed the storm, the news channel said.
Most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and electrocutions.
Karachi on Saturday received 17.3 millimeters of rain in the hour-long spell but poor drainage network left many city roads and streets submerged in rainwater.
The gale-force winds recorded at 69 miles per hour blew down a number of advertising billboards and large trees that blocked several roads leading to traffic snarls, according to the English-language Daily Times newspaper.
It said the signs and trees fell onto power lines snapping the cables and causing a massive power breakdown that continued for hours due to severe damaged caused to infrastructure including grid stations.
Authorities announced they would take action against companies whose billboards collapsed, and decided to dismantle the standing structures to prevent any mishap as the city is likely to be hit by more storms and rains.
The meteorological department said the monsoon, which usually starts in early July, arrived two weeks ahead of schedule. More rain has been forecast in the Sindh province, especially its coastal areas.
