Raising alarm bells: Leh returns to haunt Pindi

Water level in the drainage canal went above ‘alert’ level; rescuers and locals prepare for heavy monsoons.

RAWALPINDI:

Early morning rains in the twin cities on Saturday sent alarm bells ringing for locals as well as rescuers in Rawalpindi after the water level in Nullah Leh went as high as 17 feet.

The downpour started at around 5am and continued for three hours, raising the flow of water in the main drainage canal of the city near New Katarian, where Leh enters Rawalpindi.

The rescue authorities put all concerned departments of Rescue 1122, Rawal Town Administration and the health authorities on alert to cope with any emergency.

The extra movement of the authorities also alerted the residents on the banks of the drainage canal as the heavy rain continued and they had to remain watchful till the danger was over.

“We remain concerned as the residents around the bank of Leh have not forgotten the havoc wrecked by the nullah in July 2001,” said Abid Ali a resident of Hazara Colony.

“We waited for the sirens and if the rain had not stopped we would have took valuables and left our houses,” he added.

Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi Spokesperson Deeba Ali said the water touched the alert level during the rain. She said there are three levels: when water in Leh reaches as high as 11 feet it is called the pre-alert level, the 16 feet mark is the alert level and 20 feet or beyond calls for evacuation in the area.

Water in Leh was flowing as high as 17 feet near New Katarian and 14 feet under the Gawalmandi Bridge by 7am in the morning, she said.

“We are fully prepared to cope with any kind of emergency as a control room has been set up in the office of Rawal Town Administration (RTA) near Liaqat Bagh to monitor [the water level] in Leh during monsoon,” Dr Abdul Rehman, district head of Rescue 1122, said.

The teams of Rescue 1122, employees of RTA and workers of district health department have been put on a 24 hour alert, he added.

Around 67 millilitres of rain was recorded in the twin cities on Saturday.

Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rains in the upper Punjab region. The department expects more rains this monsoon than 2010.

The intruding water

Though the office of Rescue 1122 did not received any SOS call, the residents had to help themselves as rain water entered in the houses of the localities of Javaid Colony and other low lying areas.

Water gushed into houses at New Katarian, Gawalmandi and Javed Colony and shops remained closed.

Emergency sirens could be heard in the locality, as the district government alerted the people residing in the low-lying areas near Leh. However, the locals have demanded more steps to avoid floods in their neighbourhoods.

Muhammad Arshad, from Nadeeem Colony said that the Punjab government provided Rs47 million for de-silting of the canal, which should have been widened and deepened.

Officials up their antics

Administrator Rawal Town along with acting TMO Raja Iftikhar Ahmed visited different areas particularly the low lying localities after the Saturday morning’s rains raised the water level up in Leh.

The administrator also conducted surprise visit of the control room and checked the working of the staff.

Saif Anwar Jappa instructing the officials concerned for the monitoring of minute by minute flood situation at Nullah Leh said they will have to work hard to save the lives and properties of the people. Additional information from APP.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2011.