RAWALPINDI: The Meteorological Department has forecast that the rain that started in the twin cities on Friday morning will continue for the next 48 hours with small breaks.

It said a strong westerly wave was affecting most parts of the country and may persist in upper areas till March 3. The Met Office on Friday recorded 19 millimetres (mm) of rain at Golra, 18mm at Zero Point and the airport, 21mm at Saidpur, 18mm at Bokra in Islamabad and 22mm of rain at Shamsabad and Chaklala in Rawalpindi.

Residents of low-lying areas in Rawalpindi remained alert fearing a flood-like situation in Leh Nullah. The rain created slushy mess in the city and cantonment areas. Many roads in the city remain dug up for reconstruction that caused problems for motorists during rain.

Wasa’s acting Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said the water level in Leh Nullah was five feet and there was no danger of flooding. He said officials had been put on high alert to deal with any emergency.

Heavy machinery and staff have been deployed in the city and the Wasa staff remained engaged in draining rainwater from low-lying areas, he added.

The Met Office stated that rain-windstorm/thunderstorm (heavy snowfall over the hills) was expected at most places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, upper Punjab, northern Balochistan, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy rainfall/isolated hailstorm also expected at scattered places in upper KP, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Met Office said heavy rainfall may cause flash flooding in nullahs of Kalat, Mastung, Lasbella, Awaran, Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Dalbandin, Khuzdar, Dera Ghazi Khan and hill torrents in KP, Kashmir, Murree, Galliyat and Islamabad/Rawalpindi on March 2.

Heavy rain/snowfall may cause closure of roads in Murree, Galiyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch and Haveli on March 2. Landslides in KP, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan may affect the vulnerable points.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2024