Heavy Rains Disrupt Karachi Flights, Public Holiday Declared
KARACHI – August 20, 2025: Flight operations at Jinnah International Airport were thrown into disarray on Tuesday after heavy rainfall and technical system failures crippled schedules. Even 12 hours after the downpour, operations had yet to return to normal.
According to airport officials, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled its Karachi–Islamabad flight PK-300, along with the return flight PK-301. Several other domestic flights also faced hours-long delays, leaving passengers waiting inside terminals with little information.
International services were not spared either, as delays left hundreds of travelers stranded. To make matters worse, disruptions in telephone lines prevented passengers from accessing inquiry services, intensifying their frustration.
Airport staff reported that turnout at Jinnah International was unusually low overnight, as many passengers were unable to reach the airport due to flooded roads and severe waterlogging across the city.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has announced a public holiday for Wednesday, August 20, in anticipation of further downpours. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the decision was taken to ensure public safety following warnings of urban flooding.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has cautioned that Wednesday’s storm may exceed Tuesday’s rainfall, which already caused widespread traffic jams and partial flooding in several neighborhoods.
Rainfall between 8 AM and 8 PM on Tuesday varied across Karachi, with 170 mm recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, 158.5 mm at the Old Airport, 152.8 mm at Jinnah Airport, 149.6 mm in Nazimabad, 145.2 mm in Surjani Town, and 143.8 mm in North Karachi.
Authorities have urged residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
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