12 labourers killed in rain-induced wall collapse

ISLAMABAD:

At least 12 labourers died and five others sustained critical injuries after an 11-feet-high wall collapsed on their tents following extremely heavy rainfall in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the wee hours of Wednesday.

During the rain in Punjab, a child lost her life in a similar incident in Rawalpindi, Nullah Leh was flooded, four more people died in Lahore, and over a dozen people were injured in a pileup on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway.

The worst rain-related tragedy occurred at a construction site of the Golra Mor underpass, where several labourers were encamped under the shadow of a 100-feet-wide and 11-feet-high wall.

Following the early morning rainfall, the wall collapsed upon the tents, crushing sleeping labourers underneath tons of debris. Many other labourers at that time were offering Fajr prayers at a nearby mosque, who remained safe.

Eyewitnesses said that other workers rushed to the camp and started the rescue, without waiting for the rescue services to arrive.

They added that the Rescue 1122 personnel also reached the spot and took part in rescue operation.

The rubble of the wall was so heavy that the rescuers faced great difficulties in removing it.

Later, the Islamabad administration deployed heavy machinery to lift the debris, according to the witnesses.

The workers who died under the debris of the wall belonged to Khyber -Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh, who had come to Islamabad from distant areas in search of work.

According to aid agencies, including the Capital Development Authority personnel, 10 bodies and seven seriously injured were retrieved from site and shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Hospital.

A hospital spokesperson later confirmed that 10 bodies and seven injured were brought there, adding that two of the injured succumbed to their wounds during treatment.

He said that the remaining five injured were in critical condition.

The deceased labourers were identified as Muhammad Shoaib, Zahid, Karim, Noor Muhammad, Kaleemullah, Jalal Din, Akbarzada, Israfel, Nauman, Muhammad Khalid and Yasin and one unknown.

According to the Pims spokesperson, the injured currently under treatment there were Farooq, Muhammad Shakeel, Inayat, Rehman and Moalim Khan.

“The doctors are trying to save their lives,” the spokesperson added.

The officials and the witnesses said that the deceased were aged between 19 and 36 years.

In another rain-related tragedy, a wall collapsed in the Mohammad Town area of Khana police station in Rawalpindi, rescue officials said, adding that an 11-year-old girl died under the debris of the falling wall.

The twin cities received extremely heavy rainfall during the ongoing monsoon season.

According to the weather officials, the heaviest rainfall of 188 millimetres was recorded in Shamsabad, while it was 103mm in Golra.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) said that heavy rain continued in all its operational circles, causing more than 40 feeders to trip.

It added that operation teams were busy in restoring power to the affected feeders.

The rain also inundated the low-lying areas in the twin cities as well as their suburban periphery.

According to the Rawalpindi administration, the water level rose to an alarming level, forcing them to call in the military to assist in evacuating people.

Nullah Leh flood

The evacuation alert was issued at Katarian and Golmandi, where water level rose to 15 feet and 18 feet, respectively, officials said, adding that the rainwater also entered the low-lying areas of Javed Colony, Arya Mohalla, and Nadeem Colony.

After the heavy rain, water level at Nullah Leh rose to over 19 feet.

Currently, a flood torrent was passing through the Nullah and moved towards the Soan River, officials said, adding that the water level was also rising at the Soan River.

After flooding at Leh, sirens blared in the affected areas as the local flood control room issued an evacuation alert. Through announcements, local residents were being asked to leave the low-lying areas.

On the other hand, according to the rescue teams, 15 passengers, including women and children, were injured after four buses collided near the Barama Interchange on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway during the rain.

The Rescue 1122 services from Rawalpindi and Attock shifted the injured to Taxila and Wah Cantt hospitals. The Motorway police removed the damaged buses from the road and restored the traffic.

Lahore

The Lahore administration said four people, including two children, died of electrocution in different parts of the city after overnight rainfall. It added that one child survived the electric shocks and had been hospitalised.

According to the Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) spokesperson, the children were electrocuted, while they were enjoying rain in an open near an electric pole in Dhobi Mohalla Charar Pind.

The spokesperson added that Zubair, eight; and Faizan, 12; died on the spot, while 10-year-old Zaheer was injured, who had been undergoing treatment at the General Hospital.

Apart from this, the spokesperson said, 28-year-old Ijaz Sulehman died of electrocution in Thokar Niaz Baig area, and an unidentified person, between the age of 30 and 35 years, was electrocuted in Harbanspora.

Because of the heavy rain in the province, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued necessary instructions to Rescue 1122, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the local administrations.

He said that actions should be taken on an emergency basis for the drainage of rainwater, directing the administration officers and related institutions to remain in the field until the drainage work was completed.

(WITH INPUTS FROM OUR RAWALPINDI & LAHORE CORRESPONDENTS)