Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds lashed Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Saturday night, inundating roads and underpasses and disrupting power supplies in several areas. Several roads and underpasses in the twin cities were submerged, with rainwater turning streets into ponds. In Islamabad’s G-6 area, underpasses were flooded, while roads and streets in Chatta Bakhtawar were inundated and water entered homes in some areas. In Rawalpindi, the water level in Nullah Lai rose to 19 feet, prompting the administration to issue a high alert and direct relevant departments to take emergency measures. A rain emergency has also been declared in Rawalpindi, with the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) staff and heavy machinery deployed to deal with the situation. The water level in Nullah Lai has since returned to normal, but the district administration and relevant agencies continue to monitor the situation, officials said. Islamabad also received heavy rainfall for two to three hours, causing a marked change in weather. Heavy rain was also reported in Murree, the Galiyat region and several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing cooler temperatures. Gujjar Khan, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal and Kallar Syedan also received rain accompanied by strong winds. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rain over the next 24 hours in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy rainfall is likely at some locations, with the weather department warning of possible flooding in streams and seasonal waterways. Meanwhile, the Indus River is experiencing medium-level flooding at Kalabagh, where water inflows were recorded at 397, 000 cusecs. Low-level flooding has also been reported at Tarbela Dam, Chashma Barrage, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur barrages, according to the Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore. The situation in the country’s other rivers remains normal, the division said.
Heavy rain inundates twin cities as Nullah Lai rises to 19 feet
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