RAWALPINDI(National Times)- The highest rainfall of the current monsoon season was recorded in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Wednesday, raising the water level in Leh Nullah to 22 feet and inundating low-lying areas. Rainwater entered houses, while city dwellers spent a restless day fearing flooding in the nullah.
Continuous and torrential rains wreaked havoc in Rawalpindi. Several residential and business areas of the city and cantonment were flooded due to the rise in the water level of Leh Nullah and other rainwater drains. Water entered homes, markets and shops to a depth of 2 to 3 feet, causing losses of goods worth millions of rupees to traders and citizens.
Citizens were scared and climbed onto their roofs as water entered their homes, while 2.2 feet of water accumulated on roads and at intersections, causing vehicles to become submerged in several areas.
The traffic system was disrupted, and attendance at educational institutions and offices was very low.
Fauji Colony was flooded, while the newly constructed Raja Bazaar pedestrian street was also inundated with two feet of water due to the faulty sewerage system. Several graves were severely affected after a cemetery wall collapsed in the cantonment areas. In Westridge, the boundary walls of some houses and government institutions collapsed.
A nullah situated alongside Iqra Rowzatul Atfal Madrassa on Saigal Street, a few metres away from the Chaklala Cantonment Board offices, overflowed.
Approximately 400 students are studying at the madrassa. Due to the increased water level in the drain, rainwater entered the lower floor of the madrassa, leaving the students stranded.
Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot and safely rescued the affected students. No loss of life was reported. The incident exposed the failure of the Chaklala Cantonment Board to clean the nullah before the monsoon, creating problems for residents.
A house in Gulrez Housing Scheme-I was flooded by rain, trapping nine people, including six adults and three children. They were safely evacuated and no casualties were reported, a Rescue 1122 official said.
The rain started on Tuesday night at 11:30pm and continued until Wednesday afternoon with small gaps, bringing the mercury down to 25 degrees Celsius.
Many downtown areas were flooded with rainwater. Water accumulated in low-lying areas, and residents remained busy in the morning draining water that had entered their houses. A slushy mess was seen in the areas. The water level in Leh Nullah rose twice on Wednesday.
At 6:30am on Wednesday, the water level increased to 22 feet at New Kattarian Bridge and 17.5 feet at Gawalmandi, but the water receded once the rain stopped. The Met Office issued an alert to all district administration offices and Rescue 1122 to ring the siren around Leh Nullah.
However, a strong spell of rain started at 8am on Wednesday, increasing the water level again within an hour. The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued an alert and asked the concerned authorities to evacuate residents of low-lying areas.A Man removes floodwater from his home in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, as residents of the twin cities witnessed this season’s highest monsoon rainfall.—AFP
The Civil Defence Department and Rescue 1122 remained on high alert throughout the day to deal with any emergency.
The Meteorological Department recorded 147 millimetres (mm) of rainfall at Kutchery, 127mm at Shamsabad, 123mm at Pirwadhai, 121mm each at Chaklala and New Kattarian, and 115mm at Gawalmandi in Rawalpindi. In Islamabad, 104mm of rain was recorded at Bokra, 100mm at Golra, 99mm at Zero Point, 95mm at Saidpur and 2mm at the airport.
“Monsoon currents are penetrating the upper parts of the country. A westerly wave is also affecting the upper parts of the country,” said a Met official.
He said rain-wind/thundershowers were expected in Islamabad, the Pothohar region, upper Punjab, Kashmir, upper and central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Heavy falls were also expected during the period. Hot and humid weather would prevail elsewhere in the country, he said.
The Met Office predicted more rain on Thursday (today) and warned that heavy rains may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore.
Heavy rains may cause flash flooding in local nullahs of Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Landslides may occur in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galiyat and Kashmir during the forecast period.
“The Leh Nullah rose to 22 feet, but the situation remained under control as the Leh Nullah did not overflow,” said Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan while talking to Dawn. “The WASA officials remained alert to deal with any emergency.”
“Heavy rain lashed the catchment area of Leh Nullah and raised the water level in the nullah. However, the water receded soon after the rain stopped,” he said. He said the Met Office had forecast more rain showers late at night and all staff and officials remained alert throughout the night to handle the flood-like situation.
