KARACHI: Water supply to district West remained suspended on Monday after a portion of the Hub canal developed a 150-foot breach near Manghopir following heavy rains on Sunday.

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Managing Director Rafiq Qureshi told Dawn that the breach had been plugged temporarily as the teams of the water utility were taking all-out measures since last night to restore the water supply to the city from Hub Dam.

“The breach in the canal will be plugged completely within 48 hours,” he said.

He added that the breach did not pose any threat to people living near the canal.

“The flow of water from the breach is far away from hum­an settlements,” he added.

Panic gripped the localities in Malir and adjoining areas after the Malir river overflowed.

Due to heavy flow of water, Kathor Link Road was closed for general traffic, which was diverted to alternative routes.

Reports suggested that the road from Memon Goth to Shah Latif Town was also closed for general traffic due to overflowing water.

Police also closed the roads to and from Dumba Goth where rainwater was flowing fast.

KWSB sources said that the Malir river water would flow towards Korangi Caus­eway that connects Korangi from district South.

Meanwhile, Malir SSP Irfan Bahadur said that several parts of Malir were flooded as water coming from hills had filled the Malir river, which was overflowing.

The SSP said that six small dams in Malir overflowed, and of them, three had developed breach because of heavy rains, therefore, a huge quantity of water has entered crops and human settlements, causing problems for several villages.

SSP-East Abdul Rahim Shirazi said that due to torrential rains, there was some turbulence and high tide in the Lyari river, which also carried dirty water.

He said after the drowning of a young boy he had visited the spot and observed that in case of heavy downpour, there would be further turbulence in the Lyari river.

“We made contact with the deputy commissioner of East who subsequently sent his revenue staff so that all inhabitants of the left bank of the Lyari river could be evacuated to safer places,” he added.

The SSP said that police had also made announcements from mosques to ask the people to be shifted to safer places as the residents appeared to be reluctant.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2022