Officials scramble after early rainfall

Rescuers placed on high alert as Nullah Leh water level surges

RAWALPINDI:

Early morning rain in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday had authorities scrambling after the water level in the Nullah Leh rose by seven feet, with administrative officials and rescue personnel, including of the army, placed on alert to deal with any situation.

The twin cities received 29 mm of rain in the morning. Following the rain, the water level at the Katarian point of Nullah Lai rose by 7 feet. It increased by 6.5 feet at the Gwalmandi bridge.

According to the flood control room, Syedpur received 14 mm of rain, Golra received 41 mm, Shamsabad 13 mm, and Chaklala 24 mm.

Later in the day, the water level returned to normal after the rain stopped and the water drained.

The situation is declared dangerous when water level rises to 18 feet. However, low-lying areas remain more vulnerable with the administrators ordering residents to evacuate from neighbourhoods considered critical.

The presence of hundreds of thousands of polythene bags that adversely affected the water flow contribute to the rise in water level even as efforts to clean the nullah and its tributaries continue.

The Nullah Leh has a length of about 30km, stretching from Islamabad to Rawalpindi. As many as 11 nullahs in the city also discharged into Leh at different areas. Nullah Leh discharges into Soan River near Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench.

Rain warning

Meanwhile, the met office has issued warnings for additional rain in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, the northern areas, and valleys of Punjab over the next 24 hours.

Consequently, the water levels in drains, storm drains, and rivers may rise, posing a potential flooding hazard. Residents residing in low-lying areas have been advised to exercise additional caution. There is also a risk of flooding in rain drains, which may cause water to infiltrate these vulnerable areas.

Unclogging nullahs

A spokesperson for the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) said that they had completed the cleanliness work of Nullah Leh. The small drains were also cleaned so that water flow in the nullah wasn’t affected during the monsoon. The spokesman for Rawalpindi Wasa informed said that heavy machinery including wenches were used to clear the sewers. The arrangements followed a forecast by the meteorological department warning of heavy rains during monsoon.

The Rawalpindi commissioner, Liaquat Ali Chatha, and his deputy commissioner visited different areas to inspect the progress of the cleaning efforts. This was done as part of Wasa’s monsoon contingency plan.

Rescue services

The emergency service, Rescue 1122, which is fully equipped to cope with the possible flood in Nullah Leh, has been put on high alert to cope with emergencies. According to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, the rescuers deployed in low-lying areas, particularly in Katarian, Gawalmandi, Sowan and other low-lying areas would remain on high alert around the clock to provide timely emergency response, medical treatment and transportation facilities to possible flood victims.

The Rescue 1122 has also requested people not to stand on the banks in low-lying areas along Nullah Leh during the flood and follow instructions given by the departments concerned.

Garbage dumping

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema also visited the Nullah Leh and reviewed the arrangements to deal with flooding. The DC inspected the water flow and reviewed the situation of garbage and solid waste in the nullah. He said that Section 144 was enforced around Nullah Lai to prevent the dumping of garbage and solid waste. He directed the officers to strictly implement Section 144 and take action in accordance with the law against those violating the rules.

Nullah tributaries

The provincial caretaker minister for primary and secondary healthcare, Dr Jamal Nasir visited Qademi Qabristan, Dhoke Elahi Bakhsh and Sadiqabad areas and examined the flow of water in tributaries of Nullah Leh.

He directed the administration and Wasa to clean all tributaries and to take strict measures to remove the illegal encroachments on the banks of the drains. He noted that encroachments on drains resulted in urban flooding and endangering human life and property. (With additional input from APP)

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2023.