Pindi admin issues pre-alert for Kattarian, Gawalmandi

News Desk

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi district administration on Saturday issued a pre-alert for Kattarian and Gawalmandi areas as water-level sensor data showed 12.5 feet in Nullah Leh at Kattarian and 9.5 feet at Gawalmandi.

The water-level sensor data showed all-clear at around 10.30 AM in the city areas. The admin informed that an alert is issued for Gawalmandi areas when the water level reaches at 14.1 feet in Nullah Leh while evacuation operation is started on 20 feet water level in the nullah.

A district spokesman further informed that Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noorul Amin had instructed the authorities concerned, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue-1122 to finalize all the arrangements to meet any emergency-like situation due to urban flooding in Nullah Leh and other nullahs.

Meanwhile, rainfall gauging stations Saturday recorded 47mm of rainfall at Saidpur Village, 54mm at Golra, 51mm at Bokra, 60mm at PMD (H-8/2), 45mm at Shamshabad, and 50mm at Chaklala while average rainfall was recorded at 52.41mm in the basin of Nullah Leh.

The water level in Nullah Leh was being monitored continuously and the machinery of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi had been shifted to low-lying areas.

The Commissioner had also directed the PDMA officers to keep the alert system updated and timely inform the people about the water level situation in Nullah Leh.

The WASA authorities were also instructed to clear streets and roads and remove stagnant rainwater, particularly from Ratta Amral, Kattrian, Tipu Road, Dhoke Naju, Gawalmandi, Ziaul Haq Colony and other low-lying areas as soon as possible.

All the arrangements were also finalized to shift the people from low-lying areas to safe places in case water levels reached 20 feet at both places, he added.  He informed that all the departments concerned including PDMA, Rescue-1122 and Pak-Army were present in low-lying areas to cope with any urban flooding situation.

The authorities of WASA had been directed to utilize all available resources and mobilize their teams to remove stagnant rainwater from low-lying areas. The DC also urged the citizens not to stand on the banks of Nullah Leh and other nullahs of the town.

Various low-lying areas of Rawalpindi were submerged as heavy rain on Saturday raised the water level in Nullah Leh. Various areas on Murree Road, Commercial Market, Liaquat Road, Jamia Masjid Road, Sadiqabad, Commercial Market, Chamanzaar, Tipu Road, Nadeem Colony, Dhok Dalal were submerged after the heavy rain.

Water also entered homes in some localities. Rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas, squares and intersections in Rawalpindi also paralyzed the drainage system in several areas of the city and Cantonment. The WASA teams pumped out the accumulated water from the affected areas. Meanwhile, Noorul Amin Mengal also visited the Gawalmandi area to monitor the water level in Nullah Leh and review the arrangements finalized to cope with possible floods.