Persistent monsoon raises alarm over urban flooding

LAHORE: Cloudy weather with scattered and trace rain was witnessed in the City here on Thursday while Met office predicted similar weather conditions for the next 24 hours.

Roads, parks and greenbelts of several localities, especially private housing societies were still submerged in the mixture of rainwater and sewage.

The societies included Revenue Society on PIA Road where majority of roads, greenbelts and main park remained submerged in stinking water and residents have no door to knock because drainage system of this society is old and didn’t cater the present needs. Similar situation can be witnessed in many other private societies situated on College Road, Defence Road, Raiwind Road, Burki Road, Canal Bank Road, Ring Road and etc. This has caused a serious health concern for the citizens as the stagnant rainwater mixed with sewage can cause multiple health issues and diseases while the stagnant rainwater in parks may become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Residents of various localities appealed to the CM to take immediate action on this issue and direct the district administration and other government organisations concerned to take action against those private housing societies where Dengue SOPs were not followed and those who failed to timely drain out water should also be penalised.

Meanwhile, Met officials warned that on the night of 17th July and on 18th July (today), heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs/ streams of Kashmir, Islamabad/ Rawalpindi, Pothohar region, Northeast Punjab, DG Khan, Gilgit- Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Murree, Galliyat, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Swabi, Nowshera and Mardan. Landslides/mudslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy downpour may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera, Peshawar and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. They said a low pressure area (LPA) lies over Central Punjab (Pakistan) while a westerly wave was also affecting upper parts of the country. Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents are penetrating upper parts and likely to persist during next 24 hours.

Rainfall was recorded in several cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Okara, Murree, Mandi Bahauddin, Sheikhupura, Mangla, Jhelum, Attock, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Joharabad, Kakul, Balakot, Malam Jabba, Pattan, Saidu Sharif, Muzaffarabad, Garhi Dupatta, Rawalakot, Kotli, Gilgit, Astore, Chilas, Skardu and Bunji. Thursday’s maximum temperature was recorded at Dalbandin where mercury reached 44°C while in Lahore it was 32°C.