Heavy rain wreaks havoc in low lying areas

Rawalpindi :Heavy rains which lashed the twin cities in wee hours of Thursday morning claimed life of a woman in Kachi Abadi in Sector H-9 when roof of her house collapsed besides causing havoc in the low lying areas of Rawalpindi as water of Nulla Leh gushed into the houses by more than 3 feet level besides inundating the streets causing huge trouble for the residents.

Rescue 1122 officials confirmed about the death of one middle aged woman, Sanika who died in H-9 sector Kachi Abadi when roof fell over her during heavy rains. However, according to Rescue 1122 no casualty was reported in Rawalpindi.

Rains which occurred so heavily continued for almost two hours starting from 5 a.m. till 7 a.m. The intensity of rains was so heavy as water in the main channel of Nullah Leh at Gawalmandi touched up to 20 feet level and the concerned civic bodies sounded sirens asking the people to leave their houses and adopt preventive measures to avert any casualties. Rescue teams of the civic bodies and Rescue 1122 and army jawans reached the flood hit areas in low lying areas to provide relief and assistance to the people.

The higher officials of the city district government including Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Talat Mahmood Gondal, Managing Director Wasa, Raja Shaukat Mahmood, DCs, RCB officials including Additional Executive Officers , Fahim Ali, Rana Rameez Shafqat, Secretary, Qaisar Mahmood and army jawans of 111 Brigade as well as AML chief, Sheikh Rashid reached Gawalmandi to monitor over the situation. The Cantonment Executive Officer, Dr. Saima Shah kept on monitoring over the situation from its officials.

The people of low lying areas including Arya Mohalla, Raja Bazaar, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Chamanzar Colony, Nadeem Colony, Jehangir Colony, Dhoke Chiraghdin, Dhoke Farman Illahi, Dhoke Illahi Baksh, Dhoke Khabba, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Munshi, Rehmatabad, Dhoke Kala Khan, Banaras Colony, Gulrez, New Katarian, Railway Colony 1 and 2, Pirwadhai, Bangash Colony, Ganjmandi, certain parts of Asghar Mall Scheme and Satellite Town, Shamsabad were the most hard hit areas. People of these areas who were sleeping had to wake up as soon as water from Leh started to barge into their houses with full force. Children and ladies were shifted to top floor buildings and on roof tops to prevent any mishap.

All streets and roads were fully inundated with water. Rain water not also entered houses but also barged into shops in Raja Bazaar, Ganjmandi, Gawalmandi, Dhoke Munshi, Dhoke Khabba, Sadiqabad, and Muslim Town.

As soon as rain water crossed up to 15 feet level, the staff of the civic bodies Wasa, TMA, Rawal Town, District Administration started relief measures and reached affected areas along with boats.

According to officials of Wasa who requested not to be named, the havoc in low lying areas occurred because the concerned body of Solid Waste Management Albayraak did not work properly to lift wastages from small channels. Work on the cleaning of outlets (small nullahs) in streets was also not done properly, they alleged.

According to Wasa Chairman, Ziaullah Shah and Managing Director , Raja Shaukat Mahmood told that due to dredging and desilting work done by Wasa water level did not touch up to dangerous level of 28 feet despite two hours heavy rains in Rawalpindi. The main channels of Nullah Leh passing in Gawalmandi, Liaquat Bagh, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed did not cause any damage in major localities.