Housing societies inundated as Thado Dam overflows

Torrential monsoon rains lashed the metropolis late Tuesday night, causing Thado Dam in Gadap Town to overflow and unleashing a deluge that inundated several localities and disrupted traffic on the Superhighway (M-9 Motorway).

According to officials, heavy floodwaters gushed into adjoining residential societies and submerged large sections of the motorway near the Motorway Police office. Both tracks were immediately closed to prevent accidents. The highway was later reopened after partial drainage operations restored some level of normalcy.

Several residential societies were severely affected, including Saadi Town, Khameeso Jokhio Goth (Malir), Khameeso Goth (New Karachi), Sohrab Goth, Machar Colony, and Hasan Nauman Colony. Panic gripped residents as floodwaters entered homes during the night, forcing many families to evacuate and seek shelter with relatives. Others remained behind, striving to drain the water and safeguard their belongings.

Rescue and relief operations continued throughout the day. Teams from Rescue 1122, Pakistan Army, Rangers, and Pakistan Navy evacuated more than 350 stranded people. Welfare organisations, including Edhi and Chhipa, assisted in the rescue effort, transporting over 200 residents to safety using boats and distributing food and clean drinking water among the displaced.

A spokesperson for the Sindh government stated that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Rescue 1122, and armed forces were engaged in coordinated relief operations. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed all concerned departments to maintain vigilant monitoring of the dam's spillways and ensure timely public updates to prevent further loss of life or property.