Woman, son die as heavy rain batters capital

ISLAMABAD: A woman and her 8-year-old son were killed in the federal capital on Wednesday as 334mm heavy rainfall battered E-11 and D-12 and many areas of Rawalpindi on Wednesday due to a cloudburst.

Several areas of Islamabad experienced flooding which multiplied miseries for the residents of the area. A woman and her son drowned when rainwater entered the basement of their house in E-11.

Their bodies were later shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The incident happened at about 6am while rescue teams reached the site at about 11am. While, her two children – a daughter, 13 and 5-year-old son were rescued by the youngsters of the area.

The affected family of a resident namely Kashif Yaseen was present in the basement along with his wife, two sons, a daughter when flood water entered their house in a private housing scheme of Sector E-11/2 at around 6.30am. According to reports, wife of Kashif Yaseen and his son Mustafa were drowned while two other kids Abdullah and Aanaya were rescued.

“We carried out the rescue operation on our own and rescued two children while the rescue teams reached at 8.30am and CDA personnel arrived at 10.30am,” Asif Yaseen, who is residing in the house along with his brother Kashif Yaseen, said.

A cloudburst in the federal capital has caused flooding in several areas, confirmed Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat. The military troops were called in to assist the civil administration of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to rescue the people trapped in the flood during the non-stop rains that triggered high flood.

Footage circulating on social media showed flood water sweeping away cars in Sector E-11 area of the capital while several people were injured in Sector D-12. They were shifted to different hospitals for medical treatment. The rainwater entered basements, houses, shops and mosques.

The flood-affected people said that the CDA, during the development work in Sector D-12, closed many drains and diverted the water flow to one drain that caused the water flash. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Member Shakil Jazib, in a statement, said that Sector E-11/2 was not in the jurisdiction of CDA but “we are helping the affected public”. He said that it was the area of a housing society. He also said that their rescue teams are continuously monitoring all areas to help the affected people.

On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat, through a Tweet has warned people settled along Soan and Korang Nullah to shift to some other areas. The local administration has also imposed Section 144 on swimming in Soan and Korang Nullahs.

The troops of Pakistan Army also rushed to the affected areas of twin cities in support of civil administrations after rain water entered basements of a commercial area and houses of housing schemes in Sector E-11/2 and water level of Nullah Leh increased to a dangerous level at Gawalmandi and New Katarian bridges.

Assistant Commissioner Industrial Area, Awaid Irshad Bhatti said that three houses were damaged in Hansa Colony (Christian Colony), G-8, where two residents who received injuries were shifted to the PIMS.

Some houses were also damaged in katchi abadis of Esa Nagari (I-9) and J Salik Colony in Sector G-8 but no loss of lives was reported from there. Member Finance CDA Rana Shakeel Asghar and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat told a press conference at CDA headquarters that most of the roads have been cleared.

Rana Shakeel Asghar told newsmen the CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed along with board members and other officials started visiting roads and affected localities of Islamabad at 7am. “The roads were cleared in a matter of a few hours while nullahs and choked points were also cleared.”

The CDA official said that the authority carried out the rescue operation in private housing schemes of E-11/2 on humanitarian grounds despite the fact that area does not fall in the jurisdiction of CDA.

The flooding water outflow from a nearby nullah and entered houses after razing boundary wall. “We rescued two people,” he said. He said that the housing societies, where flood water caused havoc, do not have any plan or facilities to meet any emergency situation.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad said the federal capital received 334mm of rain in two hours which caused flooding in sectors E-11 and D-12. However, he said all the choked points, including Rawal Dam Chowk, where water was accumulated have been cleared.

He said that Pak Army troops assisted the civil administration in rescue and relief efforts. “Contingency plans are in place to meet any flood situation,” Hamza Shafqaat said. He said that he along with other officials visited sites of Soan River and Korang Nullah in order to remove any blockage to water before opening spillways.

He said that it was a cloudburst in the sense that some areas of Islamabad received nearly 200mm of rain in an hour.

According to the Met Office, the federal capital collectively received 334mm of rain with Saidpur area reported 123mm, Golra 103 and Islamabad city 72mm of rain in two-hour time.

On directives of the Islamabad administration, the spillways of Rawal Dam were also opened for flow of extra water from the lake. Initially, the spillways were opened for an hour but later the time was extended for another 90 minutes.

Director Met Office Islamabad, Muhammad Sarfraz, however, contended claims of the Islamabad administration of cloudburst in Islamabad.

“There were heavy rains in Islamabad this morning but this situation cannot be called a cloudburst,” he said.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the relevant agencies, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to be on high alert with ready and rapid emergency response actions in view of heavy monsoon rains.

In a post on social-networking website Twitter, the premier also asked the people to stay alert and take special care.

The reaction came after at least two people lost their lives as urban flooding caused by torrential rains inundated streets and main roads in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, creating immense difficulties for the residents.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had alerted the concerned departments in view of heavy rains in Rawalpindi and danger of flood in Nullah Leh.

He directed the provincial management, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 to make all arrangements to deal with any untoward situation.

He had also instructed the concerned authorities to be prepared for relief activities at all times and ensure immediate drainage of water from low-lying areas.

Usman Buzdar said that all possible resources should be utilised and drainage of water should be ensured in minimum time through necessary machinery. The citizens should not face any difficulty, he added.