740 Hazardous Buildings Identified Across Sindh Ahead of Monsoon

KARACHI:
As the monsoon season approaches, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has declared 740 buildings across the province structurally unsafe, with 588 located in Karachi. These buildings, many over a century old, have been labeled dangerously dilapidated and at high risk of collapse due to heavy rains.

The SBCA has issued fresh evacuation notices, warning residents of the imminent danger posed by continued occupancy. Despite these alerts, numerous residents have refused to vacate, citing their central city locations and proximity to essential services as reasons for staying.

A significant number of these buildings are occupied by families of migrants from 1947, who still reside in the same properties inherited after Partition, often due to lack of affordable housing alternatives.

To manage potential monsoon-related disasters, SBCA has set up 24/7 Rain Emergency Centres at its headquarters in Karachi and regional offices in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Mirpurkhas. These centres are overseen by SBCA Director General Muhammad Ishaq Khuhro and are manned by technical teams working in three shifts to ensure swift response to any structural emergencies.

The SBCA has also launched a public awareness campaign in high-risk neighborhoods, using loudspeakers and banners to urge evacuation. “Rainwater weakens old foundations and may cause structural failure. In addition, there’s a serious risk of short circuits and electrical fires,” said DG Khuhro.

In a final appeal, the authority warned that ignoring evacuation orders puts lives and property at grave risk, and emphasized that rescue services and municipal departments are fully coordinated for rapid disaster response.