Rowalpindi and Islamabad heavy rain eyelashes at night, which leads to the water and sanitation agency (WASA) to emit a maximum alert and declare an emergency of rain amid fears of water accumulation in low areas.
According to Wasa’s managing director, Muhammad Salem Ashraf, WASA equipment equipped with heavy machinery has been deployed in low areas. He said that the machinery was immediately sent to the Chowk UnderPase Committee and Murree Road as soon as the rain began to guarantee efficient drainage.
According to the data of the weather department, Saidpur received the maximum rain with 80 mm recorded, followed by 40 mm in PMD, 20 mm in shamsabad and 15 mm in Pirwadhai.
The WASA MD added that in the Nullah Lai collection area, particularly in Saidpur, 80 mm of rain were recorded in just an hour. The water level in Nullah Lai is continuously monitoring and, for now, the flow remains normal.
Read: NDMA emits a new alert for heavy rains, storms throughout the country
In Katarian, the water level in Nullah Lai increased to 11 feet, while reached 5 feet on the Gawalmandi bridge. However, after the rain stopped, the water level backed up 5 feet.
The WASA chief said that the department is fully prepared to handle any potential emergency and is constantly coordinating with all relevant agencies.
Citizens have been advised to avoid low areas unnecessarily and immediately contact the WASA help line in an emergency.
According to the National Authority for Disaster Management, sudden floods and heavy rains have killed 64 people and wounded 117 throughout the country during the past week.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst blow, with 23 deaths, including 10 children. In Punjab, 21 people lost their lives, while Sindh and Baluchistan reported 15 and 5 deaths respectively.
