Monsoon downpour lashes twin cities

Heavy rain from 44 millimetres to 50mm was recorded in the twin cities on Wednesday morning. The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) managing director, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) director-general and the Cantonment Executive Officer visited Nullah Leh, other drains and low-lying areas and reviewed the drainage of water.

The Wasa and civic agencies were put on alert keeping in view the forecast of the Pakistan Meteorological Department regarding rains.

Wasa MD Muhammad Saleem Ashraf revealed during the visit that heavy rain lashed the upper catchment area of Nullah Leh and there was a fear of increasing water level in the nullah, but when the rain stopped, the water level in Nullah Leh was recorded at 6 feet at Katari and 5 feet at Golmandi.

More than 44 mm of rain was recorded in 30 minutes at Syedpur, 35 mm at PMD, and 24 mm of rain was recorded in Shamsabad, he said, adding continuous monitoring of the water level was being done in Nullah Leh.

Meanwhile, on the instructions of the Rawalpindi Commissioner, RDA DG Kinza Murtaza also visited the city along with the Wasa MD. She inspected the drainage works in low-lying areas.