Flood relief camps set up in Rawalpindi

After flood alert in the Nullah Leh, the Rawalpindi administration has established five relief camps while the residents living around it have started migrating to safer places.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted heavy showers during the next couple of days in various parts of the country including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Subsequently, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a flood alert for Nullah Leh due to expected rains, directing all related institutions to take necessary measures.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army has assured the Rawalpindi district administration of deploying troops to rescue people in case of emergency. The main control room is monitoring the water level in all nullahs of the garrison city.

The holidays of staff of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Rescue 1122 and Civil Defence Department (CDD) have been suspended and the workers have already been deployed in the low-lying areas.

Further, the frequent spells of cloudbursts on Wednesday left the low-lying areas of Rawalpindi and main thoroughfares flooded. Traffic snarl-ups developed due to inundated roads while the ceilings of the metro bus service terminals started dripping. However, Wasa was using suction-pumps at main underpasses and bridges in the city as a pre-emptive measure.

Moreover, Wasa teams were present with heavy machinery in different areas including Muslim Town, Sadiqabad, Arya neighbourhood, Nadeem Colony, Committee Chowk Underpass, Murree Road, and Faizabad Interchange while water flow in Nala Lei is being monitored. WASA Managing Director (MD) Shaukat Mahmood was in the field to overee the operation and ensured drainage of accumulated rainwater on roads.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anwarul Haq said that they were completely alert and monitoring the situation every minute.

Moreover, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) MD Owais Manzoor Tarar told The Express Tribune that the cleanliness operation continued despite rain. While surveying various areas, he urged the people to put garbage in the dumpsters instead of throwing it in nullahs and drains.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed visited Gawalmandi Bridge to monitor the water level in Nullah Leh. He said that the big cities like Karachi and Lahore were facing urban-flooding. However, due to their timely measures and cleaning of Nullah Leh, none of the storm drains in the garrison city spewed.

CDA on toes

Capital Development Authority (CDA) has tasked the Engineering Wing to supervise the drainage of water as results of rain spells. Roads Directorate (North), Road Directorate (South), Markets and Road Maintenance Directorate and other concerned formations of the authority along with other concerned departments remained busy in draining water accumulated due to heavy rain fall on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

CDA teams deputed at Faizabad Interchange and Sector I-8 Interchange (Western side) drained water from the vicinity. CDA management has directed the Engineering Wing to coordinate with IMC for immediate removal of wild shrubs and trimming of grass especially along the road drainage system which is affecting the proper drainage of rain water.

Jhelum braces for flood

Meanwhile in Jhelum, the district administration was preparing for the huge flow of water coming down the Jhelum River after the opening of the floodgates of Mangla Dam in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Jhelum Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rao Akhtar told a meeting of the District Emergency Committee (DEC) on Wednesday to remain on alert due to the flood threat.

The officer said 72,000 cubic feet per second (cusec) of water was released from Mangla Dam and another 28,000 cusecs from Mangla Powerhouse into the Jhelum River on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2020.