KARACHI, Sept 23: Water supply to Karachi was stopped in the early hours of Sunday because of a 200-foot-wide breach in the Hub Canal, which supplies water to the city.

The breach developed at around 2am on Sunday after which Hamdard University, Bhorey Khan Goth and other nearby areas were inundated. However, the supply of water from the Hub Dam was stopped to halt further flooding.

The areas facing water shortage include Baldia Town, SITE, Manghopir, Orangi and Gulistan-i-Jauhar, and also some areas of district west.

Work to plug the breach was started immediately. It will take at least two days to complete it, said Karachi Commissioner Roshan Ali Shaikh.

According to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, the repair work will continue round the clock and the acting managing director of the KWSB, Ali Muhammad Palijo, was supervising it personally.

Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad took notice of the matter and directed Commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh to ensure that the canal was repaired immediately and the water supply to Karachi restored.

As directed by the governor, the deputy commissioner of district west, Gunwar Khan Laghari, also visited the canal. He met the acting MD of the KWSB, who briefed him about the situation.