Rains continue: Intense showers hit twin cities but significant damage avoided

Water pooled on roads and flood homes in several areas of Pindi due to poor drainage.

ISLAMABAD: The skies remained overcast and rains continued in the twin cities on Thursday morning, briefly flooding some low-lying residential areas in Rawalpindi and creating a surge in the capital’s streams and drains.

The morning downpour took off from where heavy rains had left on Wednesday. Intense showers hit areas of the twin cities and continued for a few hours, ending just in time to avoid significant damage to life and property.



In Rawalpindi, areas that were inundated on Wednesday suffered again. Water pooled on roads and flooded homes in several areas including Shamsabad, Arya Mohallah, Dhoke Chiragh Din, Gawalmandi, Kartar Pura, Nadeem Colony and Javaid Colony due to poor drainage.

However, water in Nullah Lai, which had risen to pre-alert levels on Wednesday, remained normal, according to the Rawalpindi Flood Control Cell.

Water was reported at 9 feet — 3 feet below the warning-alert level — during the morning’s heavy rain, but gradually decreased to around 5 feet by the afternoon, said a cell official.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Rawalpindi and Islamabad received around 108mm and 101mm of rain respectively over a 24-hour period up until 8am on Thursday morning.

The PMD’s National Weather Forecasting Centre predicted more rain and thundershowers in scattered areas across the twin cities for the next 24 hours.



However, Rawalpindi and Islamabad are expected to be safe from the kind of flooding expected in other areas of Punjab, especially Sialkot where PMD has cautioned people to stay away from stormwater drains during the rains.

A duty officer at the forecasting centre said upper parts of Punjab are going to receive more rain until Eid, The officer added that while Eid is likely to stay dry, a stronger spell of rain is expected to hit the twin cities between August 11 and 15.

The focal area of that spell would be upper Punjab, according to the PMD.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2013.