KARACHI, Aug 16: At least five towns and a number of vital installations went without water on Wednesday owing to a shortfall of 80 million gallons of water which the city suffered during the last two days.

It is since Tuesday that the city has been getting 40 mgd less supply in the wake of a burst which occurred in a 54-inch dia pipeline at Pipri on Tuesday.

The affected areas include Malir, Shah Faisal, Bin Qasim, residential and industrial areas of both the Landhi and Korangi towns, villages situated along National Highway and adjacent to industrial area, Razzakabad police training centre, PNS Jauhar, Karsaz, Mehran and PAF Faisal Base.

A KWSB spokesman said repair work had already begun and it would be completed by 8pm on Friday.

He said the KWSB managing director, Brig Iftikhar Haider, has constituted a committee with chief engineer (Bulk Supply) Ali Mohammad Palejo as its chairman to probe the causes of the burst.

Meanwhile, private tankers taking undue advantage of the situation did a roaring business in affected areas, charging exorbitant rates from residents of water-starved localities.