Sindh's Hub Dam, filled to capacity, may breach without immediate repairs, WAPDA

The Water And Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Friday warned that the walls of the 24,300 acre Hub Dam are at risk of being breached due to the massive pressure exerted by water after torrential rains in Sindh filled the dam to capacity. 

The dam has not been repaired for many years and WAPDA warns that if the issue is not addressed immediately, the dam might collapse.

Hub Dam is the third largest water reservoir in the country. Plans to generate electricity from it have been stalled since the 18th Amendment.

The vast area covered by the Hub Dam meets 20% of Karachi's and 100% of Hub's water needs. WAPDA Chief Engineer Muhammad Ehteshamul Haq has said the water is enough to meet the needs of Karachi and Hub for the next three years.

Read more: Hub Dam fills to maximum capacity after 13 years

Last week, the water level in Hub Dam, which supplies drinking water to Karachi and covers the water needs of several areas in Balochistan, had crossed the 339-foot mark and filled to maximum capacity for the first time in 13 years.

The water level had risen rapidly due to the recent spell of torrential rains in Sindh. The excess water has begun to flow out from the spillways and into the sea near Mubarak Village.