RAWALPINDI: The pre-monsoon has finally set in across the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with the first spell lashing the garrison city early Wednesday morning.
The rainfall raised the water level in Leh Nullah and caused water accumulation in low-lying areas of the city. However, no loss of life or public property was reported, except for one incident in which a wall collapsed in Kahuta, injuring a person.
The rain was a welcome relief for residents of the twin cities who hadenduredtemperatures exceeding 43°C over the past week.
The hot and humid weather had made life difficult for many. More rain is expected in the coming days.
Meteorological department warns heavy rains could trigger flash floods in hilly areas on Thursday
The meteorological department issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that on June 26, heavy to very heavy rains could trigger flash floods in local nullahs and streams in Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, D.G. Khan, northeast Punjab and Kashmir.
It further warned that heavy downpours could cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera, Charsadda and Peshawar.
Landslides may result in road closures in vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir during the wet spell.
The downpour, accompanied by windstorms and lightning, may affect daily routines and damage weak structures such as roofs and walls of dilapidated houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.
On Wednesday, the Met Office recorded 82mm of rain at Saidpur, 68mm at Bokra, 25mm at Golra, 6mm at Islamabad International Airport, and 36mm at Zero Point in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, 52mm was recorded at Chaklala, 56mm at Shamsabad, 53mm at Pirwadhai, and 43mm at Katcheri.
A Met official said moist currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are penetrating most parts of the country and are expected to intensify in the next 24 hours. A westerly wave is also affecting the upper parts of the country. He added that widespread rain with wind and thundershowers, along with isolated heavy (sometimes very heavy) falls, is expected in Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and upper/central Punjab.
Rain and thundershowers with gusty winds may also occur at isolated places in south Punjab, southeast Sindh, and northeast/south Balochistan during the period.
Wednesday’s rain led to water accumulation in low-lying areas. In the cantonment areas, residents complained that sanitary workers had failed to clear drains before the onset of the monsoon.
Residents of Chaklala Scheme-I reported that drains and gutters were choked and unable to drain sewage and rainwater.
“The situation in Tench Bhatta, Jamia Masjid Road and Sadiqabad is going from bad to worse even during the first spell, as water-logging has become common in these areas,” a resident said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, lawmaker Tahira Aurangzeb, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Saleem Ashraf and other senior officials visited various sites to monitor the water level in Nullah Leh.
Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf told Dawn that although the rain occurred mostly in urban areas, the Nullah Leh rose to 7.5 feet at Gawalmandi Bridge and 9.5 feet at Kattarian Bridge. He noted that the danger level begins at 24 feet. “Rainwater did not accumulate in low-lying areas as it washed away soon after the rain stopped,” he said.
He added that the water level in Rawal and Khanpur dams — main sources of drinking water for Rawalpindi — had risen by one foot and was expected to increase further in the coming days.
On the other hand, District Emergency Officer Sibghatullah toldDawnthat no loss of life or property was reported in the district.
However, Rescue 1122 did rescue a man in Kahuta who had been injured when a wall of a vacant plot near Jamia Masjid Usman Ghani on Kallar Road collapsed. The injured, Abdul Shakoor, 60, sustained a leg injury and was shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Kahuta, where his condition was stated to be stable.
Heavy rain also disrupted the power distribution system, particularly in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and nearby areas.
This was confirmed by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) spokesperson.
According to him, multiple faults and trippings were reported on both underground and overhead feeders, with several feeders shut down.
He said that the accumulation of rainwater hampered fault clearance efforts, though operation staff remained active to restore electricity to the affected areas.
