RAWALPINDI: Three people died in rain-related incidents in the city on Wednesday. This brings the total number of people who lost their lives to such incidents during the last two days to eight.

Farzana Bibi, 45 drowned in rainwater that had burst inside the ground floor of her home. Police said Ms Farzana drowned while she was working in the kitchen and her children were on the rooftop of their house.

Another three-year-old boy identified as Mohammad Azan drowned after the wall of his dilapidated house collapsed and he fell into the adjoining nullah in Ghazia Abad, Dhok Saeedan. Shortly after the incident happened, Rescue 1122 divers with emergency vehicles reached the scene and started searching for the boy who was recovered and shifted to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Abu Bakar, 12, a resident of Katchi Abadi Sadar Barooni died while his younger brother was injured critically after the roof of their house caved in during rain on Wednesday.

Apart from this, five children drowned in rain-related incidents in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.Rescue officials have asked people to take extra care during monsoon and to avoid sitting under the roof of dilapidated houses and not to allow children to roam around near electric poles.

Meanwhile, residents of Tench Bhatta staged a protest against the authorities concerned over their dissatisfaction with them. They were of the view that loss of life and property could have been avoided if Leh Nullah was not blocked with trash as this is the reason that low-lying areas in the city are inundated.

Later, after negotiations with local police, protesters dispersed peacefully hoping that the nullah would be cleaned before more damage is caused.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2022