Heavy rain lashes twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad overnight, prompting the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to issue a high alert and declare a rain emergency amid fears of water accumulation in low-lying areas.
According to WASA’s Managing Director, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, WASA teams equipped with heavy machinery have been deployed in low-lying areas. He stated that machinery was immediately dispatched to Committee Chowk Underpass and Murree Road as soon as the rain began to ensure efficient drainage.
According to the Meteorological Department’s data, Saidpur received the highest rainfall with 80 mm recorded, followed by 40 mm at PMD, 20 mm at Shamsabad, and 15 mm at Pirwadhai.
The WASA MD added that in the catchment area of Nullah Lai, particularly at Saidpur, 80 mm of rain was recorded within just one hour. The water level in Nullah Lai is being continuously monitored and, for now, the flow remains normal.
Read: NDMA issues new alert for heavy rain, storms across country
At Katarian, the water level in Nullah Lai rose to 11 feet, while it reached 5 feet at Gawalmandi Bridge. However, after the rain stopped, the water level receded back to 5 feet.
The WASA chief assured that the department is fully prepared to handle any potential emergency and is in constant coordination with all relevant agencies.
Citizens have been advised to avoid low-lying areas unnecessarily and to immediately contact WASA’s helpline in case of any emergency.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, flash floods and heavy rainfall have killed 64 people and injured 117 nationwide over the past week.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst hit, with 23 fatalities, including 10 children. In Punjab, 21 people lost their lives, while Sindh and Balochistan reported 15 and 5 deaths respectively.
