Rawalpindi / Lahore:
Punjab said a rain emergency on Thursday, while army troops joined rescue efforts following floods in low areas, while strong monsoon showers continued to rub the province with Rawalpindi bearing the brunt of nature with 250 millimeters of precipitation.
The Punjab has witnessed the deadliest day of the current monsoon season, so far, with at least 63 deaths in recent 24 hours, officials said. The highest precipitation was recorded in Rawalpindi, causing a sudden flood in Nullah Leh, in which two people died.
The rains had struck different parts of the country since Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, 60 people died, including 44 in Punjab and 16 in Balutchistan. The rain continued tirelessly on Thursday, Rawalpindi and Chakwal receiving a massive downpour.
No one, who winds through the city of Rawalpindi, jumped 21 feet. The authorities rushed into the low zones to save baptized people, while the emergency sirens were lighting up. Four people died in the flood, while 58 people were moved to safer places by rescuers.
The water level also jumped into the Soan river in which Leh came out. The flood waters have entered houses in low areas, while dozens of vehicles have been swept away. Rescuers 1122 and army staff moved 19 people blocked in the Ladiyan region in Chakri in a safe place.
“Residents of vulnerable areas are expected to prepare emergency kits with food, water and essential drugs for three to five days in an emergency,” said National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in an alert.
The Rawalpindi administration said a public holiday to keep people at home, the weather service warning that heavy rains would continue until Friday. Officials said the rescue operations had been launched throughout the district.
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) said that more than 250 mm of precipitation had tripled the city. The maximum drawback was recorded in Chaklala at 239 mm; In addition to 235 mm was recorded in Gowalmandi, 220 mm in Katarian and 200 mm in Pir Wadhai.
The flooded localities included Pir Wadhai, Tench Bhata, Ariya Mohalla, Dhok Syedan, Qureshiabad, Garja Road, Dhamial, Chakri, Adiala Road, Nadeem Colony and Javed Colony. The water has entered the houses of these areas, damaging the household item, the furniture, etc., in addition to the vehicles, said the inhabitants.
It was the highest precipitation in 24 years. On July 23, 2001, 335 mm of rain were recorded which killed 74 people in Rawalpindi and 10 other neighboring Islamabad. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that Thursday’s showers were a normal rainy spell.
In Chakwal, according to the BBC, the district administration said that 430 mm of precipitation in 10 hours caused massive floods in the district. The report indicates that two people died, while we were still missing, while assistant commissioner Sarah Hayat declared an emergency of flooding in the district.
The massive quantity of precipitation has given rise to Cloudburst conversation. However, the disaster management authorities have rejected the concept, saying that surveillance of satellites has not indicated such a phenomenon. They said it was rolling a heavy monsoon rain spell.
In Lahore, officials of the provincial government told Reuters that heavy monsoon rains across the Punjab had killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 in the past 24 hours. The showers have caused floods and collapses of the building, most of the deaths caused by the roofs of the lower houses failing.
Lahore reported 15 deaths, Faisalabad Nine and Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan several others. More than 120 houses were damaged and six cattle killed. The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) said that the rain had also whipped Mandi Bahauddin, Jhelum, Mangla, Murrier and Sheikhupura.
Meanwhile, army troops continued rescue operations in areas affected by floods deploy helicopters, following floods at Rasool Nagar Khurd, Burhan Nallah, Dhok Badar in Jhelum. Local administration and military staff monitor the situation and efforts are underway to avoid other dangers.
Since the end of June, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 in Punjab alone, according to the province of Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The NDMA later said that around 180 people had been killed, including 70 children and around 500 injured since June 26.
Due to torrential rains in Punjab, an emergency has been imposed for the flood situation. All the WASA fields were active and all the elimination stations operated at full capacity. Said the director general of Punjab, Tayyab Farid. “The rescue teams are in effect to deal with emergency situations.”
The Punjab home service imposed restrictions under article 144 of the Criminal Code of Procedure, prohibiting swimming in dams, rivers, canals, ponds, lakes as well as flood water swimming pools in all spaces or public places. The restrictions will be effective until August 30.
“Current weather conditions are a serious threat to human life, especially among those who enter the standing or flowing water,” said a spokesperson. “The water level in rivers, canals and tanks is considerably high, and swimming or navigation of pleasure in these areas could cause fatal incidents.”
The PDMA has published a sheet of facts of the rain situation in the province, saying that water flow in most rivers and Punjab dams was normal. PDMA chief IRFAN KATHIA said that, given the possible threat of floods, the PDMA had made the necessary arrangements.
Pakistan’s meteorological department, Zaheer Babar, told the BBC that the current monsoon rains ended on Friday, but a new rain spell would enter Punjab from July 21. After that, the monsoon would become active again.
(With agencies and news office)
