Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor ul Amin Mengal here on Tuesday visited low-lying areas alongside Nullah Lai to monitor water level, and reviewed arrangements to cope with any flood emergency.
The departments concerned on the directives of the Commissioner were put on high alert due to fear of flood in the nullah.
The commissioner instructed the relevant authorities including Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue1122 to finalize all the arrangements to respond to any emergency due to urban flooding in Nullah Lai and other nullahs.
He said that the water level in Nullah Lai was being monitored continuously and the machinery of Water and Sanitation Agency, Rawalpindi had been shifted to the vulnerable areas.
He directed the PDMA officers to keep the alert system updated and timely inform the people about the situation in Nullah Lai, and instructed WASA to clear streets and roads and remove stagnant rain water particularly from Rattaamral, Kattrian, Tipu Road, Dhoke Naju, Gawalmandi, Zia ul Haq Colony and other low-lying areas as soon as possible.
The Commissioner said that the water level sensor data showed that maximum 18 feet water level was recorded at Kattarian and Gawalmandi, meanwhile the departments concerned were put on pre-alert. All the arrangements were also finalized to shift the people to safe places in case the water level reached at 20 feet at both the places, he added.
A district administration spokesman informed that rainfall gauging stations recorded 61mm rainfall at Saidpur village, 57mm at Golra, 38mm at Bokra, 72mm at PMD, 56mm at Shamsabad and 86mm at Chaklala, while 55.32mm was recorded in basin of Nullah Lai on Tuesday.
The situation was declared all clear at 1.39 pm today as water in Nullah Lai which had reached its dangerous level receded to 5.5 feet at Kattarian and 5 feet at Gawalmandi.
Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq also visited different areas and reviewed the water level in Nullah Lai. He said that all the departments concerned were present in the areas to cope with any untoward situation.
The DC also monitored the teams of WASA and MCR working in the field to clear rain water. He was briefed that WASA Rawalpindi had finalized the monsoon 2022 plan including inspection of its machinery, cleaning of sewerage lines and annual cleaning of Nullah Lai.
According to a district administration spokesman, City District Government Rawalpindi had completed all the arrangements to cope with the flood situation.
Rescue1122 spokesman said that the rescuers deployed in Katarian, Gawalmandi, Sowan and other vulnerable areas would remain on high alert round the clock to provide timely emergency response, medical treatment and transportation facilities to people.
The authorities have urged the people not to stand on the banks of Nullah Lai and follow instructions given by the flood control room.
