Heavy rains trigger flooding in Karachi as Thado Dam overflows

KARACHI: Torrential rains in Karachi have caused Thado Dam to overflow, resulting in flooding in Malir and Lyari rivers, with water entering surrounding residential areas.

According to reports, water released from the Thado Dam spillway further increased the river’s flow, eventually inundating residential areas of Scheme 33. Floodwaters also submerged parts of the M-9 Motorway near Jamali Bridge.

A spokesperson for the Sindh Chief Minister stated that the provincial government has decided to demolish a dividing wall along the M-9 to create a passage for the floodwaters.

At Jam Goth in Malir, Shahrah-e-Bhutto was washed away by the flood, as water from the Malir River cut across the road to the opposite side.

Meanwhile, Lyari River also witnessed high flooding, with water entering houses in FB Area, Shafiq Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal UC-1, Goharabad, Hassan Naumani Colony, Sohrab Goth, and near Lyari Bakra Peeri.

The residents were trapped inside their homes as several feet of water accumulated in the affected neighborhoods.

Additionally, Machhar Colony, Nishar Basti, and Essa Nagri also reported flooding after the Lyari River overflowed into nearby settlements.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister’s Special Assistant, Saleem Baloch, claimed that the water flooding the M-9 Motorway did not come from Thado Dam but from the Lath River.

He explained that heavy flows from the Kirthar Range were entering Karachi’s rivers, adding that once all dams in Sindh had filled to capacity, the excess water was being discharged into the Malir River and eventually flowing into the sea.

Baloch further assured that urban settlements remain safe, emphasizing that flooding issues primarily arose in areas where illegal encroachments were built along the riverbeds