Heavy rain, hailstorm hit twin cities

Rawalpindi: The twin cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad and adjoining areas were hit by heavy rain with hailstorm on Monday as Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast more rain during 24 hours.
Heavy rain and hailstorm also hit hilly areas including Murree, Nathia Gali, Haripur and Patriyata creating worst situation for motorists on roads. Besides heavy rain, hailstorm also hit various parts of the twin cities.
All national and international flights going out from Islamabad were postponed, while planes flying in to the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) were diverted to other cities to avoid any untoward incident.
Traffic came to a halt for several hours in many areas as a number of vehicles broke down. Even at Jhelum Road, Mall Road, Adiala Road, Jamia Masjid Road near Qadeemi Imambargah, Airport Road, City Saddar Road near Gawalmandi and Benazir Bhutto Road areas several public transport vehicles developed faults in the middle of the road causing heavy traffic jams.
Rain and hailstorm continued intermittently in the twin cities, while a number of electricity feeders damaged in Rawalpindi city on Monday.Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director Dr Muhammad Hanif told ‘The News’ that more heavy rain and hailstorm are expected in next 24 hours in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. He said that Peshawar windstorm and heavy rain were due to change in climate globally. The speed of windstorm in Peshawar was 120-km per hour, he claimed. “Such kind of windstorm and heavy rain with hailstorm are expected in the country in next few months also,” he warned.
The rain also flooded the basements in low-lying areas.The rain started at around 10:45 a.m. on Monday but it was comparatively slow. At about 11 a.m. it started raining heavily.Streets and roads in some areas including Rawal Road near Sherpao Colony, Sadiqabad, Dhoke Khabba, Arya Mohalla, Nadeem Colony and Javed Colony filled with rainwater for a few hours.
On the other hand, pedestrians and motorists faced difficulties on all roads particularly Benazir Bhutto Road due to incomplete construction of Metro Bus Service Project.The residents of low-lying areas, particularly Jan Colony, Hazara Colony, Nadeem Colony, Imambara Mohallah, Arya Mohallah, Dhoke Khabba and Raheemabad faced worst kind of difficulties on Monday as the rainwater entered their houses.
A resident of Gawalmandi area, Nadeem Ahmed, said that the residents were worried that water might enter their homes as streets were full of rainwater. The area was partially damaged during the rain last year when a nearby stream, which drains into Nallah Leh, overflowed.Rashid Mehmood, a resident of Nadeem Colony, said that as per routine we face continuous threat during rain.”