Flood alert issued as four days of unrelenting rains bring twin cities to standstill

WASA declares rain emergency as torrential downpours flood low-lying areas

RAWALPINDI:

Heavy rains continued to lash the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday, marking the fourth consecutive day of downpours that began on Saturday night.

The intense rainfall led to flooding in low-lying areas, while the water level in Nallah Lai surged between 10.5 and 14.5 feet, prompting authorities to issue a pre-alert.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department predicts further rainfall today, while WASA has already declared a rain emergency.

Rainfall persisted throughout the night, with Islamabad recording heavier showers. The department reported 83 mm of rainfall at PMD, 26 mm at Golra, 26 mm at Bokhara, 34 mm at Shamsabad, and 16 mm at Saidpur. Kachhari recorded 18 mm of rain.

The heavy downpour caused the water level in Nallah Lai to rise to 14.5 feet at Katarian Bridge and 10.5 feet at Gawalmandi, leading to a pre-alert warning. However, as the rain subsided, the water level in Nallah Lai quickly dropped to 6 feet at Katarian and 5 feet at Gawalmandi.

The torrential rains resulted in water flooding low-lying areas across the city and cantonment. As the rain began last night, WASA Managing Director Salim Ashraf, along with his teams and heavy machinery, remained on the ground, overseeing the extraction of water from affected areas during breaks in the rain. In Rawalpindi Cantonment, areas such as Jan Colony, Tench Bhatta Last Stop, People's Colony, Mughalabad, Shalay Valley, and Range Road were particularly affected.

In the city, water entered shops in Nadeem Colony, Chaman Zar, Arya Mohalla, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Dhok Naju, and markets like Raja Bazaar, Liaquat Road, Narankari Bazaar, and Ganj Mandi.