RAWALPINDI: The first shower of the monsoon season lashed the twin cities on Tuesday morning, with the Met Office predicting more rains and chances of urban flooding in the next 12 to 18 hours.

On the other hand, in the wake of heavy rains, the Provincial Dengue Monitoring Committee has directed the relevant departments to remain alert and asked deputy commissioners to monitor the anti-dengue campaign.

Water level at Leh Nullah also increased following the rain while water accumulated in low-lying areas.

Rain started early Tuesday morning and continued for an hour. The level in Leh Nullah increased but not to the alert level of 15 feet

The meteorological department recorded 9 mm rain at the airport, 3mm in Saidpur, 9mm at Zero Point and 16mm at Bokra in Islamabad whereas 23mm of rain was recorded at Shamsabad and 17mm at Chaklala in Rawalpindi.

Dengue monitoring committee alerts relevant depts., asks DCs to monitor campaigns

According to an official of the Met Office, moist currents from the Arabian Sea were penetrating the upper parts of the country and this phenomenon would continue during the next 24 hours. A strong westerly wave is affecting the upper and central parts of the country.

He said rain-wind/thundershower was expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Potohar region, upper/central Punjab and northeast Balochistan. Isolated heavy falls are also expected in upper Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period.

Very hot and humid weather is also expected in other parts of the country.

Water level in Leh Nullah increased to eight feet at Kattarian bridge and seven feet at Gawalmandi.

Talking to Dawn, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Mohammad Tanveer said the agency and all other departments had been alerted to deal with any emergency but such a situation did not arise.

He said water in undated the Committee Chowk underpass but Wasa cleared water within an hour.

“There was a brief spell of heavy rain and the situation remained under control,” he said, adding that four flood response units had been established in the city areas and staff deployed round the clock in three shifts.

Call to monitor anti-dengue campaigns

A meeting of the Provincial Dengue Monitoring Committee was held on Tuesday which was attended by provincial ministers Dr Jamal Nasir, Mansoor Qadir and Azfar Ali Nasir as well as Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman. Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha and Director Health Dr Anser Ishaq participated in the meeting via video link.

Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary Health Dr Jamal Nasir said the CBC test facility had been provided in all rural health centres for dengue diagnosis, adding that the Healthcare Commission should play a role in improving dengue reporting from private hospitals.

The committee directed the civic bodies to take special measures for drainage of rainwater.

The chief secretary also ordered the deputy commissioners to personally oversee the anti-dengue campaign in districts, adding that anti-dengue activities and larva detection data must be consistent.

He said under the new standard operating procedures (SOPs), all relevant departments should work in a dynamic manner to eradicate dengue.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha informed the meeting that there were 10 dengue patients reported in the district from January to July 4, adding that teams had been formed which visited the hotspots on a daily basis.

He informed the committee that during indoor surveillance, anti-dengue teams checked 53,222 houses in the last four days and found dengue larvae in 236 homes.

Similarly, he added that during outdoor surveillance, teams inspected 17,339 spots and detected larvae at 41 places.

He said the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) had been asked to clear the roads, streets and low-lying areas of water that accumulated during heavy rains.

Mr Chattha said the hospitals had established dengue wards where patients were being tested on a daily basis.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2023