August 09, 2008	Saturday	Sha’aban 6, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: Isolated heavy falls on Friday cooled off the twin cities but brought misery to many in shape of inundation and power breakdowns.

Torrential rains lashed most parts of Islamabad creating pools of water on several roads and causing major traffic jams on Zero Point bridge, Peshawar Mor Chowk, Aabpara Market and around Blue Area.

In the capital, the downpour started in the afternoon and continued till the evening.

The showers turned seasonal watercourses and streams into raging torrents.

Rainwater accumulated in a number of low-lying slums, forcing the dwellers to run to save their belongings.

The rains also halted business activities by the roadside as the roasted corncob vendors were forced to wrap up their business for the day.

Scores of commuters drenched to the skin were seen standing under the shade of trees waiting for the public transport.

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) 915 helpline helped at least 10 people in moving their stalled vehicles out of several inches of rainwater standing on different roads due to choked drains.

In Rawalpindi, the latest spell of monsoon rain broke the days-long hot and humid weather conditions, however, the relief was short-lived for nearly 8,000 consumers of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) in Rawalpindi Cantonment who spent hours without electricity in wake of power breakdown caused by faults in the main transmission line.

There was a complete blackout on The Mall, Haider Road, Bank Road, Adamjee Road and parts of Kashmir Road where business activities in shopping centres came to a complete halt.

During the peak hours of shopping – from 6pm to 9pm – the electricity supply remained suspended and alternative arrangements – UPS and generators – also helped little because of the long duration of power outage.

The evening shower, which lasted for a few hours, submerged a number of roads and streets in various parts of the cantonment. Pools of water on different intersections of Jhelum Road, The Mall and Peshawar Road due to poor drainage system interrupted the flow of traffic.

The surroundings of remodeled Samiul Haque Chowk on Peshawar Road were also inundated as the road construction left no provision for the drainage system. A similar situation existed at the intersection of Haji Camp on Peshawar Road.

An official of the Pakistan Meteorological Department in Islamabad told Dawn that capital city received 68mm rain while Rawalpindi 63mm within a span of four hours.

The department also forecast partly cloudy weather with chances of rain on Saturday.