Rain, ranging from light drizzles to downpours, lashed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad early Sunday morning, creating a slushy mess in the garrison city.
The rain started late Saturday night and continued until Fajr prayers on Sunday with brief intervals, bringing the temperature down to 27°C. Several low-lying areas in the cantonment and city were inundated with rainwater.
The district administration, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), Civil Defence Department, and Rescue 1122 remained on high alert throughout the night to deal with any emergency.
The Meteorological Department recorded 41 millimetres (mm) of rainfall at Zero Point, 70mm at Saidpur, 27mm at Bokra, and 55mm at Golra in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, 31mm was recorded at Shamsabad, 28mm at Kattarian, 18mm at Pirwadhai, 27mm at Kutchery, 21mm at Gawalmandi and 27mm at Chaklala.
The department has forecast hot and dry weather in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the next 24 hours.
“Leh Nullah rose to nine feet at Kattarian and six feet at Gawalmandi Bridge. The situation remained under control due to the dredging of the nullah before the monsoon,” said Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf while talking to Dawn.
“We have already imposed a rain emergency from July 1 to September 15. Wasa officials remained alert to deal with any emergency,” he added. He added that heavy rain was expected in urban areas until August 27. In this regard, all flood response teams have been activated to drain water from low-lying areas and other affected spots.
Meanwhile, on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Provincial Minister for Housing and Urban Development Bilal Yasin contacted the Wasa chief.
The minister reviewed the situation after the overnight rains in Rawalpindi and directed that all resources should be utilised to ensure timely drainage during the monsoon season.
A Met official said a seasonal low lies over northern Balochistan. Strong monsoon currents are penetrating the upper and central parts of the country from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. A westerly wave is also affecting most of the upper parts of the country.
“Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain-wind/thundershowers are likely at isolated places in northeastern/eastern Punjab, Kashmir, and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Heavy rainfall is expected in northeastern Punjab during the period,” the official said.
The Met Office warned that landslides or mudslides may cause road closures in vulnerable hilly areas of Kashmir during the forecast period. Heavy downpours may trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas of Narowal, Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum, Gujranwala, and Lahore.
Heavy rainfall, windstorms and lightning may damage weak structures, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels during the period.
