5 Family Members Rescued from Open Drain in Karachi
Karachi: Five family members, including two children, were successfully rescued late Sunday after falling into an open drain in the Mehran Town area of Korangi. The Karachi chapter of Rescue 1122 confirmed the incident, initiating a swift response to the alarming situation.
A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 stated that the alert was received at the Central Command and Control, leading to the immediate deployment of a specialized water rescue team and trained divers. The team worked diligently to ensure the safe recovery of all individuals involved.
Rescue Operation for 5 Family Members
The family had been en route to attend a wedding ceremony when the tragic accident occurred. Reports from SindhNews.com indicate that as they approached a street corner to board a bus, they stepped onto the slabs covering a drain near a mosque. Unfortunately, the slabs gave way under their combined weight, plunging all four into the drain.
A male family member, witnessing the fall, bravely jumped into the drain in an attempt to rescue the others but was also swept away. The drain was estimated to be between 50 to 100 feet deep, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Immediate Medical Attention Following Rescue
Following their extraction from the drain, all five affected individuals were transported to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre via ambulance for urgent medical treatment. While all were rescued, one of the women sustained critical injuries, according to officials.
Karachi’s Deputy Mayor, Salman Abdullah Murad, promptly acknowledged the incident and confirmed the successful rescue of all five family members. His office issued a statement confirming that an immediate rescue operation was launched on his directives, emphasizing the city administration’s commitment to protecting human lives.
Murad commended the efficient operation by Rescue 1122 teams and the timely coordination among various emergency response agencies. “The protection of human lives is the top priority of the city administration,” he stated, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts during emergencies. This incident, unfortunately, is not isolated. Open drains in Pakistan remain a significant urban hazard due to inadequate planning, poor maintenance, and lax safety enforcement.
During monsoon seasons, these uncovered drains often become invisible dangers, leading to devastating falls and drownings. Just a week prior, an 8-year-old boy drowned in an uncovered manhole in the same Mehran Town area. Earlier this year, a 3-year-old boy, Ibrahim, tragically lost his life after falling into an open manhole in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi. The Edhi Foundation reported that 27 lives were lost due to similar incidents involving open manholes and ditches in the city last year.
The successful rescue operation of the five family members serves as a critical reminder of the ongoing dangers posed by uncovered drains in urban centers like Karachi. While the authorities commend the swift response of emergency services, the incident underscores a persistent need for comprehensive infrastructure improvements and stricter safety measures to prevent future tragedies.