A heavy rain coupled with thunderstorms and lightning beat the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday evening, pushing local authorities to deploy heavy machines along the major arteries and low zones to empty rainwater.
Until now, twin cities have received more than 60 mm of precipitation, according to the director general of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
WASA officials were on high alert to face any emergency, said the MD, adding that the staff with heavy machines had been deployed in low areas.
“The heavy machines sent to the Chowk Underpass Committee and to Murrier Road,” added the WASA officer.
The meteorological service recorded 8 mm precipitation in Saidpur, 24 mm in Shamsabad, 12 mm in Kacheri and 4 mm in Pirwadhai, added the MD.
He said that the Wasa officials were monitoring the water flow at Leh Nullah and other drains.
Earlier in the day, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advised residents of Azad Jammu-et-Cachemire (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to take precautionary measures that sudden floods and landslides triggered by thunderstorms and rains are expected on Saturday evening.
The National Center for NDMA emergency operations indicated that a meteorological system entering northern Pakistan from the Oman Sea and Bengal Bay should interact with a disturbance to the west, potentially causing heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir this night, with a risk of flooding due to a sudden increase in water levels.
The rain, thunderstorms and winds in burst are likely to have an impact on the chitral, the dir, the swat, the shangla, the buner, the malakand, the kohat, the nowshera, the charsadda, the swabi, the peshawar, the mardan, the abbottabad, the manssehra, the haripur and the neighboring areas of the evening.
Serious weather conditions could uproot weak trees and cause short -term power disturbances.
Depending on the advice of the NDMA, strong winds and dust storms can damage buildings, vehicles, roofs and electric lines, while reducing visibility and increasing the risk of road accidents.
The public is invited to avoid trees, display panels and bulk structures to ensure personal safety in unfavorable weather conditions.
According to Advisory, strong precipitation strengthens the risk of flooding in rivers and rivers in affected areas. Mountain roads remain particularly vulnerable, with possible traffic disturbances due to landslides.
Residents of the low regions have been invited to remain vigilant, as flood waters can constitute a threat to property. Communication networks and food systems are also at risk of intermittent disruption due to unfavorable weather conditions.
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