Windstorm damages power lines, uproots billboards

Rawalpindi

Most parts of the city and cantonment localities plunged into darkness as the windstorm damaged power lines on Thursday night. Some residential areas were still without electricity till the filing of this report on Friday. 

The windstorm which started after 9:30 p.m. created difficulties for public at Adiala Road, Defence Road, Rawat, Sher Zaman Colony, Tulsa Road, Jhelum Road, Bakramandi, Dhamaal and several other localities.

Many billboards suffered damages and some were even uprooted at Jhelum Road, Airport Road, Rawal Road, Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road and Asghar Mall Road.

Taxation Inspector Muhammad Sajid said that they were trying to lift all damaged billboards from city and cantonment localities. “There are no reports of any fatal incident in the city due to the windstorm,” he claimed.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director Dr. Muhammad Hanif told ‘The News’ that most parts of Punjab, particularly Rawalpindi, were hit by windstorm on Thursday night.

“Rawalpindi was hit by a windstorm of 111 kilometres per hour, Islamabad 74 kilometres per hour, Multan 83 kilometres per hour, Mangla 55 kilometres per hour and Jhelum 67 kilometres per hour,” he claimed. 

Traffic remained suspended on busy roads due to windstorm. Though no fatal accident was reported from any part of the city, the windstorm slowed down vehicular traffic creating snarls in some areas. The traffic signals stopped working due to power outages and traffic wardens were seen controlling the traffic. In some parts of the city and cantonment, people came out of their houses due to power breakdown.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) officials, on condition of anonymity, said that some parts of the city and cantonment plunged into darkness due to power outages. In some areas, big trees fell down causing damage to the power lines. They said that efforts were being made to remove the trees and clear the power lines. They also said that overall electricity system was not underground therefore they faced this scenario during windstorm.

A few domestic flights were delayed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA), Islamabad.