Karachi evacuated 318 residents as torrential overnight rains caused the Lyari and Malir rivers to overflow, prompting officials to close schools, deploy rescue teams, and keep major city arteries open for traffic.
Heavy monsoon rains on September 9 led the Lyari and Malir rivers—Karachi’s main storm drains—to swell dangerously, flooding adjacent neighborhoods amid widespread urban development, encroachments, and blocked waterways. These conditions severely reduced drainage capacity, turning drains into de facto open sewers and increasing flood risk during the monsoon pulse.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed that 318 people have been rescued and relocated from areas around the Lyari drain. He reassured that despite the situation, “all major arteries of the city as well as underpasses are clear and open for traffic.”
Schools across Karachi were ordered closed following a weather advisory from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), which forecast intermittent rain and wind-thunderstorms, with temperatures between 27–29°C and humidity levels ranging from 85–95% in the morning, tapering to 80–90% by evening. As of 8 a.m., the city recorded 47.7 mm of rainfall.
Earlier, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had directed Rescue 1122 and district administration teams to operate through the night, successfully relocating over 350 individuals to safety.
The Lyari and Malir rivers were originally seasonal streams but have become highly vulnerable flood conduits due to unchecked urban sprawl and waste dumping. This structural degradation repeatedly undermines Karachi’s ability to manage monsoon surges effectively.
Weather systems tracking from Sindh to Balochistan suggest more rain is forecast in the coming hours. With ongoing flooding risk, authorities will need to maintain rescue readiness and clear transport routes promptly.
