At least 228 people have been killed and over 250 injured in devastation unleashed by heavy rains and high-speed winds that lashed Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi.

Emergency was declared in hospitals in the Sindh capital following torrential rains that started last evening with authorities cancelling the leaves of doctors and para medical staff, Health Minister of Sindh province Syed Sardar Ahmed, said today.

The the death toll has risen to 228, the minister told reporters adding that atleast 50 people were killed due to falling of advertising boards while many others died in roof and wall collapses.

The gale-force winds snapped power lines, plunging the city into darkness.

Angry residents took to streets in many areas which were without electricity for as much as 18 hours with some 35 grid stations breaking down due to the rains and windstorms.

Protesters were stoning vehicles and burning tyres and cars on the roads, police said.

“The people are frustrated with the prolonged power breakdown and we have deployed police mobiles in many areas to contain the violence and riots,” city police chief, Azhar Farooqi said.

“The rains and windstorms caused havoc yesterday and the most damage and casualties have been reported from the low laying areas of the city and in the coastal blocks outside Karachi,” the Minister said.

“We had taken measures but we didn’t expect the rains and winds to be so devastating,” Syed added.
Rescue official Rizwan Edhi of the Edhi trust said about 200 bodies had been brought to morgues in various parts of the city since last evening.