WASA On High Alert: Multan Struggles With Drainage After Record Rainfall

News Desk

Multan: The Water and Power Sanitation Agency (WASA) declared a rain emergency on Friday following a record-breaking downpour that surpassed a 30-year-old rainfall record.

The Kari Jamandan Disposal Station recorded 133 mm of rain in three separate spells, exceeding the previous record of 130 mm set in 1994. The heavy rainfall prompted immediate action from local authorities.

Multan Division Commissioner Maryam Khan and Multan Development Authority (MDA) Director General (DG) Rana Saleem Ahmed ordered the rain emergency in WASA to address the drainage needs. WASA Managing Director (MD) Khalid Raza Khan issued a high alert and called all officers and field staff from the sewerage and disposal station divisions to start emergency drainage operations citywide.

Khalid Raza directed all disposal stations to operate at full capacity and personally monitored the drainage operations. Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sindhu and Rana Saleem inspected various city areas to oversee drainage arrangements and instructed WASA to accelerate the drainage process, prioritising low-lying areas with available machinery.

MD Khan visited several locations, including Chungi No. 9, Samija Abad, Inner Bypass, Khan Village, and Suraj Miani Disposal Stations, to review the operations and ensure efficient drainage of rainwater. He also addressed power outages at disposal stations by instructing the Deputy Director to coordinate with Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) to restore electricity and utilise generators.

Director of Works Arif Abbas presented a report showing the highest rainfall at Kari Jamandan Disposal Station with 133 mm, followed by Chungi No. 9 Disposal Station with 116 mm, and Old Shujaabad Road Disposal Station with 94 mm. The report indicated that while most areas were cleared after the second spell of rain, drainage from the third spell, which began after 5 p.m., continued into the evening.

Khalid Raza ordered all sewerage officers to use all available resources to quickly drain rainwater from roads and low-lying areas. He also instructed officers to remain alert for further rain forecasts and promptly address any drainage complaints. MD  also commended the officers and staff for their swift response and directed them to stay on duty until all operations were completed.