Flood-hit Pindi swamped by waste, stench

Floods expose city's administrative collapse as sanitation efforts falter

RAWALPINDI:

Seventeen hours after devastating floods inundated low-lying areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the receding waters left behind a hazardous trail of destruction across the city and disease outbreaks in several neighbourhoods on Thursday.

Streets, markets, homes, and shops were not only waterlogged but now littered with rotting garbage, foul-smelling black sludge from choked sewers, and carcasses of dead rats, lizards, cats, cockroaches, and other insects, creating a severe health hazard and sparking disease outbreaks in several vicinities.

As the waters withdrew, an unbearable stench spread through the streets and homes, compelling residents, primarily women, to begin cleaning their houses with clean water.

Locals also took it upon themselves to sweep away sewage-contaminated debris that had accumulated in front of their homes and in the surrounding streets. The post-flood landscape resembled an abandoned, desolate town.

Despite the passage of an entire day since the water receded on Thursday, no sanitation teams from the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC), Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), or Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management Company (RSWMC) had arrived to begin cleanup. Similarly, not a single official from federal and provincial ministers to members of the assembly, the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, or representatives of relevant departments visited the flood-stricken areas. Their absence, reportedly driven by fear of public outrage, only added to residents' frustration.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqas Cheema, along with other officials, instead surveyed the situation from the Gawalmandi bridge under heavy police security. From that vantage point, they gestured toward the floodwater, seemingly downplaying the severity of the situation before retreating to their offices or homes.

Although the powerful floodwaters had initially helped flush out clogged drains, the debris, sludge, and trash left behind were swept back into the drains by residents during their cleanup efforts. Throughout the flooding, many citizens also disposed of household and commercial waste directly into the drainage systems.

Dengue control operations across the city were completely suspended on Thursday due to the flooding. Concerned citizens urgently called for fumigation and disinfection of all flood-affected areas to prevent the outbreak of waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases.

The DC announced that citywide sanitation efforts would commence Friday in the affected zones. Orders have reportedly been issued to all relevant field staff to carry out comprehensive cleanup operations.