Monsoon deluge cripples Pindi

Rainwater enters homes, destroys vehicles and leaves city without power

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI:

A devastating spell of torrential rain on Wednesday night and throughout Thursday left the entire city of Rawalpindi submerged. Streets, markets, and neighbourhoods turned into virtual lakes, presenting scenes reminiscent of Venice.

A prolonged 19-hour power outage further crippled the city, rendering the water supply system inoperative.

Traffic ground to a halt across all major roads and commercial centres. The Rs140 million allocated for the cleaning of Nullah Leh and 15 stormwater drains was effectively swept away by the floods.

The district administration and Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) were rendered entirely ineffective and powerless, prompting the deployment of Pakistan Army.

With the city inundated and drainage systems completely overwhelmed, the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner declared an emergency public holiday at 11am on Thursday, resulting in the closure of all government offices. A flood emergency was enforced immediately, and all leaves for relevant officials were suspended.

Due to excessive flooding, all underpasses—both new and old—had to be shut down. Major roads including Mall Road, Murree Road, Rawal Road, and Raja Bazaar were completely submerged, paralysing commercial activity. In low-lying areas, streets and underpasses remained under three to five feet of water for nearly 15 hours.

The city's administrative bodies—including WASA, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), and the District Council—completely failed to drain the accumulated water. Floodwaters entered homes, shops, and business premises, causing property damage estimated in the millions. Vehicles parked in garages, lawns, and streets were submerged under up to two feet of water, leaving hundreds of cars inoperable due to engine failure.

Senior officials—including the Commissioner, Deputy and Assistant Commissioners, federal and provincial ministers, parliamentary secretaries, and officers from WASA and the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC)—avoided visiting flood-affected areas, reportedly out of fear of public backlash. As has become routine, officials were seen posing for photographs and selfies on the Gawalmandi Bridge while gesturing toward the flooding—before quickly departing.

Ironically, these same officials had recently claimed that Rs140m had been used to clean Nullah Leh and other storm drains. Yet, in the wake of the city's submersion, they avoided media inquiries throughout the day.

Two dead, several rescued

Meanwhile, two people were killed and two others injured as torrential rains triggered flash floods, caused roof collapses, and led to multiple drowning incidents. Rescue operations are ongoing to locate a child and another person who were swept away in rainwater drains. One body has been recovered so far.

Heavy rainfall on Thursday caused severe flooding in Nullah Leh, other seasonal streams, and the River Soan, leading to flood-like conditions in several areas.