KARACHI: Climate Minister Sherry Rehman has said more rains were predicted in Karachi, the country’s megacity, where torrential rains last month caused widespread flooding and damage, warning that heavy downpours could cause water-logging in several cities of the southern Sindh province.

According to data as of Tuesday, 502 people have died in Pakistan in rain-related incidents since the monsoon season began in mid-June. The worst hit area has been the southwestern province of Balochistan where deaths have crossed 150, mostly due to floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains.

In Karachi, 39 people died between July 4-31, according to data from the city commissioner’s office.

On Tuesday, the Pakistani military said a helicopter carrying a senior commander and five others crashed on a mountain and all on board were killed. The army aviation helicopter, which was helping with flood relief work in Balochistan, lost contact with air traffic control on Monday.

“More rain predicted for Karachi from August 6th-9th,” the climate minister said on Twitter. “In a fresh forecast issued today,the Met office also cautioned that heavy falls may generate water-logging in low-lying areas of Karachi, Badin,Thatta, Sujawal,Tando Muhammad khan,Tando Allayar, Dadu,Jamshoro Kambar Shahdadkot.”

Last month, rains in Karachi left many parts of the financial hub, including its crucial business district, inundated. Most underpasses were flooded and there was nowhere to pump the flood waters out to.

The streets of posh areas such as the Defense Housing Authority (DHA) complex and Clifton were flooded, with water gushing into houses.

Karachi’s main streets, which house financial institutions and bank headquarters including Pakistan’s central bank, were flooded and rescue services were using boats to reach stranded people.

Record-breaking heavy rain in Karachi in August 2020 killed over 100 people and disrupted the lives of many of the city’s more than 15 million residents as water flooded main roads and homes.