PESHAWAR, Sept 6: Besides flooding roads and low-lying areas, heavy rainfall also suspended electric supply to many parts of the capital city from 4am to late on Thursday and thus, causing shortage of drinking water.

It was observed that electric supply to cantonment areas was not restored until the filing of the report at around 7:30pm.

Journalists were among those worst hit by heavy showers as they struggled to send reports to their head offices due to prolonged power outages.

During a visit to parts of the district, many electric supply lines were seen lying on the roads after downpour.

Residents of different localities complained that water was not available even for drinking.

“We visited houses in different areas to get a bucket full of water, but to no avail,” said Zahid, who lives in a rented building in Gulberg area Many tandoors in the city remained closed due to unavailability of water.

“We didn’t expect such a storm otherwise we would have stored water,” said Raziq Khan, owner of a tandoor in Nauthia locality.

However, Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s spokesman claimed that power supply system had been disrupted due to heavy rain and windstorm.

He said trees fell on electrical poles and conductors suspending electric supply, especially from 132KV Peshawar cantonment, Peshawar Industrial, Peshawar University and Shahi Bagh grid stations.

The spokesman said Pesco began restoring electric supply shortly after rainfall.

“It was not an easy and short task but even then, our technical staff within a few hours restored electric supply to maximum number of areas. Our senior officers personally monitored the activity,” he said.

According to him, after hectic efforts of staff, Pesco finally succeeded in restoring electricity to most areas, while efforts are underway for restoration of electricity to the remaining. Meanwhile, Pesco asked people to adopt precautionary measures to avoid electric shocks in the current monsoon season.

“Safety measures include properly earthing electrical appliances, replacing or covering all worn-out wires and not to touch electrical appliances/cables with wet hands,” the Pesco spokesman said.

He said people were asked to be careful and attentive while using electric water pumps and other electrical appliances.

“People are requested not to tie their pets and cattle with electrical poles and towers. Women, too, are requested not to use metal wires for drying clothes and touch washing machine with wet hands without switching it off.

“Please keep a mate under your feet while pressing clothes,” he said.