Since the downpour had stopped for a couple of hours late yesterday evening, individuals and families left their homes for an outing, including myself. Little did we know, we were in for a surprise...

The downpour started again but it did not stop for a long time and to make matters worse, it was REALLY raining HARD! I had gone to a friend's house to chill with him and his sisters but I ended up spending the night there as the road conditions were horrible and unsafe to travel. The city was flooded and the power had gone out throughout Karachi. Cars had stopped in the middle of the road as water had gotten in-to knee level. Water had collected at the bottom of hills and slopes, so much so that if cars were to go down the hill, you can be rest assured that they weren't coming back up. Power and electric lines had fallen, creating dangerous situations for the people. Individuals were stuck on the road and some had to spend the night in their cars in the middle of nowhere...

Approximately 14 people died in Karachi last night, either on the road or their roofs had collapsed on them. The homes of Katchiabadis (those living in slums) are the most unsafe as their roofs are built from straws and branches (katchi=raw). I really wish the city government or even the government of Pakistan would take preventative measures to build proper homes and roads. I mean floods occur in every part of the world, it is a part of nature. But the government needs to take proper measures to keep their people safe. Monsoon season comes around every year and every year people lose their lives as a result of situations that are preventable.

I am extremely grateful for the fact that I was stuck at my friend's home. I would rather spend the night there than anywhere else...I felt safe and was well taken care of. I was really worried but they were really sweet about it. We had no power, no electricity but we managed to keep ourselves occupied by playing games, talking and eating jalebies (sweet dessert which is apparently THE thing to have on a rainy day). The night was pretty tough for everyone as it wasn't the coolest, even with the windows open...However, we made do with what we had.

In spite of everything, I am grateful and blessed to have wonderful people in my life. There are really good people here with big hearts and beautiful spirits. There is a lot of love in this world...

Last night was a night I will never forget. However, let us also pray for those who lost their lives and for those who may still be stuck somewhere....