Urban flooding damages properties in Pindi

Water enters houses after heavy rainfall; more downpour expected today

RAWALPINDI:

Properties of residents, particularly those who live in low-lying areas, were severely damaged as the city is currently suffering from urban floods after the recent spell of monsoon rainfall.

Rainwater entered the houses and as a result of the heavy rainfall, the water level in Nullah Leh rose to more than 9 feet.

Contrary to the claims of the administration, the previous day's rain in the city proved to be a nightmare for the citizens. Major highways of Cantt, including Murree Road, remained flooded due to which traffic flow was hampered and citizens faced severe traffic jams for hours.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army and other aid organisations remained on high alert in the city in order to cater to any sort of emergency situation.

Heavy rainfall lashed the city on Friday (yesterday) due to which several gutters were filled with rainwater, houses and shops were flooded and the residents suffered several other problems.

Traders of areas such as Mochi Bazaar, Bohar Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Fruit Market, Urdu Bazaar, and many others suffered huge financial losses as drain water entered shops due to lack of maintenance of inner city drains by the city administration.

In the residential areas of Dhok Kalakhan, Sadiqabad, New Lalazar, Jamia Masjid Road, and Peshawar Road, the citizens suffered when rainwater entered their houses. It not only damaged the structure and furniture of their houses but also damaged other valuable items.

Due to heavy rainfall, water accumulated on Murree Road, Peshawar Road, Jhelum Road, Swan Bridge, Rawal Road, and Airport Road, due to which there were long queues of vehicles on the roads. People travelling to Islamabad also faced traffic jams due to the accumulation of rainwater on IGP Road, Ninth Avenue, and Faizabad Interchange. Citizens were stuck in traffic jams, which affected their routine activities.

People in the nearby settlements of Nullah Leh were alerted by alarm sirens as the water level in Nullah Leh rose to 18 feet due to heavy rains.

Moreover, Pakistan Army troops arrived at the lowlands near Nullah Leh with boats to handle any sort of emergency situation. Rescue 1122 rescue teams, Civil Defense personnel, and PDMA personnel were also present in the nearby areas of Nullah Leh to cope in case any emergency situation occurs.

According to the Meteorological Department, the highest rainfall of 34 mm was recorded in Chaklala, 33 mm of rainfall was recorded in PMD, 22 mm in Shamsabad, 9mm in Golra, and 3 mm in Saidpur village while no rainfall was recorded in Bokhara and surrounding areas.

As per the forecast, more rain is expected to pour in the next 24 hours in the city, and therefore, all the relevant institutions were ordered to remain on high alert. Officials of the Meteorological Department said that residents living in low-lying areas should keep an eye on the water level of the nearby drains and stay more vigilant during rainy nights. Furthermore, these heavy rains are likely to create new waterfalls and landslides in the hilly areas, as per the Met department forecast.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2022.