Twin cities get heaviest monsoon downpour

Water levels rise over 15 feet in Nullah Leh; Rawal Dam spillways opened

RAWALPINDI: Heavy downpour that started on Wednesday night left a number of low-lying areas in twin cities inundated on Thursday.

According to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials, it was the heaviest rainfall of the current season.

Contingents of Pakistan Army were helping the civic authorities in rescue operations in the worst hit areas of the city.

People were left marooned in their homes due to deluge in lanes and streets. Those venturing out for job and work were seen tugging their motorbikes, or trudging through urban flood full of sewage from spewing gutters.

Owing to excessive rains, water level in Nullah Leh has risen to more than 15 feet. The administration said that they would start evacuating people to a safer spot if the water level nears 20 feet.

Filled to the brim, the Rawal Dam spillways were opened which in turn increased the flow in Soan River and Korang Nullah, officials said.

The met office has forecasted heavy rains for another three days.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director (MD) Muhammad Tanvir told The Express Tribune that clouds dumped 109 millimeter of rain in just 90 minutes creating heavy deluge.

He said that WASA issued red alert as soon as level of water in Nullah Leh reached 15 feet at point of Gawalmandi Bridge.

Anticipating the danger, he said that WASA had already deployed dewatering tanks in low-lying areas while rescue teams including Rescue 1122 and contingents of army were put on high alert.

Tanvir said that WASA teams timely siphoned out water from various low-lying areas in order to maintain traffic flow.

He expressed that twin cities may have flooded if the Nullah Leh was not dredged and cleaned on time.

MD said that Rawal Dam storage capacity was 1,752 acre feet of water which was achieved after the current therefore dam spillways were opened after water level reached dangerous mark.

He told that water level and flow in Soan River had risen after spillways were opened.

Owing to urban flood, the Rawalpindi district administration acting on its plan devised a month ago, immediately established relief camps at five different spots in the city, he said.

He warned people to stay away from the banks of Nullah Leh to avoid any untoward situation. “People gather on bridges in Gawalmandi, City Saddar , Dhok Ratta and Bagh-e-Sardaran to watch Nullah Leh in full flow,” he said.



Land erosion

The excessive water flow in Soan River has caused land erosion on banks of Soan River. During a survey, The Express Tribune learned that land erosion on banks of Soan River was posing a serious threat to life and property.

Around 75 per cent of Soan Bus Terminal exit point has been washed away by the raging currents of Soan River.

There is a constant threat that remaining existing part of terminal could also break down at any moment.

Nervous transporters expressed apprehensions of a major mishap. Craters have emerged on the route which thousands of vehicles use every day, they said.

They said that the Met Office has predicted more rains over next three days and it would be impossible to do repairs, however the administration should assign alternative routes instead of turning a blind eye on the issue.

Meanwhile, the citizens demanded the administration to take urgent measures for preventing further land erosion which might cause loss of life and property.

After the recent heavy rain of ongoing monsoon spell, the water management bodies of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were put on high alert.

It was said to be the heaviest rains of the season, according to a report of NDMA the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad received 155mm and 71 mm rain respectively during last 24 hours.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat said in a tweet on his social media account that the spillways of Rawal Dam were being opened while people living near the Korang Nullah and River Soan were being advised to stay away from the banks of rivers.

The announcements were being made to make public aware of the situation he said adding that a ban has been imposed over bathing in rivers under section 144.

All the assistant commissioners have been sent into the field along with ICT officers to monitor the choking situation in nullahs and on roads of the city. He said that city's management was taking all important steps to ensure that general public would not have to go through the hassle due to constant rain in the city.

An NDMA official said that different cities of the country were witnessing urban flooding including Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

"Main reason of flooding in cities was the blockage of sewerage lines due to garbage that was choking the major sewerage system of the cities," he said. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2019.