Chief Minister Punjab, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed grief and sorrow over the damage caused in Rawalpindi during heavy rains.
He directed the administration to take immediate action to provide relief to the residents of the rain-affected areas.
Station Commander, Cantonment Board Rawalpindi, Brig Salman, Cantonment Executive Officer, Chaklala Cantonment Board and Member Provincial Assembly, PP-13, Haji Amjad visited the affected areas including Dhoke Juma, Lalazar, Valley Housing Scheme Chaklala and inspected the relief and rescue operation.
The residents registered their complaints against the owners of the housing society and the local administration.
According to the residents, the owners of the housing society encroached the land along the nullah and narrowed the drain which caused a lot of damage in the locality.
The residents of Dhoke Juma and Valley Housing Scheme demanded removal of all encroachments and stern action against the owners of the society. Low-lying areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were inundated after twin cities received heavy rain, increasing problems from residents of the cities. According to details, in some parts, rain water entered houses of the people and damaged their belonging while in some other areas roads were inundated.
Torrential rains that lashed federal capital not only inundated several low-lying areas of Swan Garden Housing Society but also houses and shops causing severe damage to properties.
The overflowed nullahs, rivulets passing through the housing society played havoc with the residents. The water accumulated in basements was being flashed out with the help of heavy water pumps.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon rushed to Swan Housing Society and started rescue operation. Assistant Commissioner Rural Management and rescue teams also joined the rescue operation.
Luckily, water has started receding making rescue operation comparatively easy. Swan Housing Society was directed to buy own de-watering pumps, life jackets and necessary machinery to meet any emergency. Deputy Registrar Cooperative Housing Societies was directed to conduct audit of housing societies’ machinery.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Rural Zukhruf Fida Malik visited Ghouri Town and reviewed the water flow situation of nullahs and rivulets. Water was accumulated in some low lying streets. AC directed to immediately drain out water from the inundated streets with the help of heavy motors
A three year child drowned in nullah when a house wall was collapsed in Rawalpindi due to monsoon rain.
Rescue 1122 officials recovered the dead body of child namely Azhan from nullah near the Ahmedabad stop and later shifted to hospital.
The emergency service, Rescue-1122, which was fully equipped to cope with the possible flood in Nullah Lai, was put on high alert to cope with emergencies.
According to a Rescue-1122 spokesman, the rescuers deployed in low-lying areas particularly in Katarian, Gawalmandi, Sowan and other low-lying areas would remain on high alert round the clock to provide timely emergency response, medical treatment and transportation facilities to possible flood victims.
