- PMD warns of more showers while Sindh government shuts schools across Karachi Division
- 318 evacuated as rainwater enters Saadi Town, forcing emergency response
- CM Shah dismisses rumours of Shahrah-i-Bhutto collapse, says only under-construction section affected
- PM Shehbaz orders NDMA, Army and Rangers to intensify relief and search for missing persons
KARACHI:The death toll from rain-related incidents in Karachi rose to eight on Wednesday, while more than 300 people were relocated to safety after heavy monsoon showers caused the Malir and Lyari rivers to overflow.
The Lyari and Malir rivers, once natural seasonal streams, now serve as Karachi’s main storm drains, channeling rainwater through a network of nullahs into the Arabian Sea. Years of urban sprawl, encroachments, and unchecked dumping of solid waste have reduced their capacity, turning many into open sewers and making urban flooding a recurring threat during monsoon downpours.
According to rescue services, four more people lost their lives today, raising the death toll since Tuesday to eight, while three others remain missing.
The Edhi Foundation confirmed that rescuers retrieved the bodies of three men and a woman after a van carrying four people was swept into the rain-swollen Konkar Nadi in Gadap Town. A search operation for the missing individuals was underway.
Separately, police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed said the body of an 18-year-old youth, Ahmed Qadir, was brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital after he died from electrocution in North Nazimabad’s Block-C.
Rescue 1122 reported that two men had gone missing in the Malir River; one of them, Mustafa Ali Gul, was saved while the search continued for Farhan Akram. Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad and the Malir deputy commissioner were present at the site. Two other people were rescued alive after being trapped in the Lyari River, according to a statement shared by the Sindh Information Department.
CM refutes rumours about Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah dismissed reports that a section of Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway (Malir Expressway) had caved in or been breached to divert floodwaters.
Addressing media queries, he clarified, “The Malir Expressway is under construction at that place. A bund is being built on the river. Since it is incomplete, rainwater passed through from another location. That is it—there is no issue.”
The CM’s spokesperson, Abdul Rasheed Channa, also rejected the claims, saying: “It is not a real picture. Only the unpaved, under-construction part has been affected, while the operational section remains intact and open to traffic.”
Rainfall figures
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) data at 8pm, Karachi received the highest rainfall in DHA Phase 7 (32.6mm), followed by PAF Masroor Base (20mm), Keamari (19mm), Korangi (18.9mm), Gulshan-i-Maymar (16.9mm), Surjani Town (13.8mm), North Karachi (12.8mm), University Road and Orangi Town (11.8mm each), Airport Old Area (11.5mm), PAF Faisal Base (11mm), Gulshan-i-Hadeed (8mm), Saadi Town (7.7mm), Jinnah Terminal (5.2mm), Nazimabad (5mm) and Bahria Town (3.4mm).
Water enters Saadi Town; 318 relocated
CM Shah, along with Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, visited flood-hit areas including Saadi Town, Lyari River, Jinnah Avenue and Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway. Authorities said Saadi Town was inundated due to overflow from the Lath and Thado dams. The CM met residents and directed rapid dewatering operations.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that 318 people were shifted to safety from areas near Lyari Naddi, adding that “all major arteries and underpasses remain clear for traffic.”
Rescue 1122 reported that 10 people were rescued in Saadi Town with the help of the Pakistan Army, while others were saved from Nashr Basti and Isa Nagri.
Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said large-scale rescue and relief operations were underway as the Lyari and Malir rivers swelled due to dam overflows and heavy rain. “The situation is gradually improving, but authorities remain on alert for another possible spell within 24-48 hours,” he added.
Schools closed amid forecast of more rains
The Sindh government ordered closure of all educational institutions across Karachi Division today due to heavy rains and forecasts of further showers.
The PMD reported that yesterday’s depression over southwest Sindh had moved westward and was weakening into a low-pressure system, though light to moderate rainfall could still occur in Karachi, Jamshoro, Thatta, and Sujawal.
It forecasts partly cloudy and humid conditions with chances of drizzle for Karachi on Thursday and similar conditions for Friday.
Meanwhile, intermittent heavy to moderate rains over the past week swept away hundreds of straw-mud houses in Tharparkar and Dadu districts.
PM orders urgent relief efforts
Taking notice of the floods, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the NDMA to work closely with the Sindh government and SDMA for swift relief.
He expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in Gadap stream and instructed authorities to locate missing persons immediately. He also called for restoration of damaged communication infrastructure and intensified public awareness campaigns.
“The federal and Sindh governments are fully mobilized to deal with the flood situation,” the premier said, stressing that relief and rehabilitation of affected families must be prioritized.
