Heavy rains on Tuesday crippled Karachi’s industrial and commercial activities, with flooding, road closures, and transport shortages causing factory operations to grind to a halt. According to reports, the heavy rainfall has also caused delays in export shipments.

 

Factories in Karachi’s industrial sector usually run on three shifts per day, but were forced to suspend afternoon and night operations after heavy downpours submerged key roads, leaving workers unable to commute to their respective factories. As per the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry’s (KATI) President, up to 30 percent of workers in over 4,000 industries in Korangi were absent on Tuesday.  

 

Data from reports suggests that productivity plummeted significantly, as workers were forced to leave early. According to the KATI’s President, the downpours caused productivity to fall by a staggering 50 percent.

 

Reports reveal that the President of the Site Association of Industry (SAI) outlined that while production remained normal in over 3,500 units, workers faced significant hurdles commuting back to their residences as gutters overflowed and roads flooded. 

 

The SAI’s President criticised authorities for failing to manage drainage despite Karachi’s importance to the economy, noting that female workers were especially hard hit because of the reported lack of public transport.

 

Attendance rates at over 1,000 factories in the F.B. Area reportedly dropped by 25 percent. As per reports, the F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry’s (FBATI) President has warned that industrial output may be “severely impacted” if rains continue with the same intensity for an additional two to three days.

 

As per the details, the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) reported the sharpest disruption, with 80 percent of the 4,500 factories present in the region halting production due to the absence of workers. The NKATI’s President cautioned that since 70 percent of the area’s industries are export-oriented, the cancellation of second and third shifts could result in severe disruptions.

 

The downpour also reportedly battered the city’s retail sector. Trading in the old city markets, home to more than 10,000 shops, was negligible as shopkeepers either stayed home or left early. Reports reveal that wholesale vegetable markets had low customer turnout, while incoming supplies from northern Pakistan faced delays.

 

With forecasts predicting more rain, reports suggest that Karachi’s industries and markets could face prolonged disruptions, affecting production and exports.