RAWALPINDI: Heavy rain lashed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the early hours of Tuesday, which led to an increase in water level in Leh Nullah and reservoirs.

The rains also gave sleepless nights to dwellers of low-lying areas.

The downpour started early in the morning, varying in intensity from heavy to moderate.

The residents of the low-lying areas remained busy draining out water from their houses.

Leh Nullah rose to 16 feet at Gawalmandi bridge and 15 feet at Kattarian bridge. It was a pre-alert situation for floods in the nullah as the dangerous level starts from 22 feet and water starts spilling over after 30 feet.

The meteorological department recorded 30mm of rain at Saidpur, 39mm at Golra, 80mm at Zero Point, 25mm at Bokra and one mm at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad. Similarly, in Rawalpindi, Shamsabad received 70mm of rain, 55mm was recorded in Chaklala, 54mm in Pirwadhai and 38mm at Kutchery. The Met Office has forecast more rain for the next 48 hours.

A Met Office official said it was a cloud burst in Rawalpindi which led to 55mm of rain in Shamsabad in an hour.

He said a cloudburst was a sudden, heavy downpour of rain, typically localised and of short duration.

He said moist currents from Arabian Sea were penetrating the upper parts of the country while a westerly wave was also affecting the upper parts.

The Met Office official said hot and humid weather had been forecast in most parts of the country. However, rain-wind/thundershower is expected at isolated places in Kashmir, Islamabad, north/southeast Punjab, Potohar region and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said despite the fact that 70mm of rainfall was recorded, the situation remained normal and under control.

He said Wasa had been asked to drain out water from roads and streets in the low-lying areas.

He said Section 144 had already been implemented around nullahs in Rawalpindi city during monsoon so that no one dumped solid waste and construction material in Leh Nullah and other drains. In case of non-conoliance of the directive, strict legal action would be taken against the violators.

Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said heavy machinery was used to drain out water from Murree Road, Jamia Masjid Road, Sadiqabad, Kattarian and Zafarul Haq Road.

He said all officials were called to deal with any emergency and to drain out water accumulated on roads adjacent to Leh Nullah.

He said the Met Office had predicted more rains but it was highly unlikely that the nullah would burst its banks as all.hurdles had been removed a month ago.

He said Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development Bilal Yasin directed that safety of life and property of citizens should be ensured during monsoon rains. He said rain emergency had already been imposed in the garrison city.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025