Nullah Leh wreaks havoc in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi
People living in low-lying localities along Nullah Leh in the garrison city of Rawalpindi have always dreaded the monsoon season, and Tuesday was no exception. The water level in the dreaded drainage system of Rawalpindi rose to almost 16 feet, creating a wave of panic among the dwellers of the low-lying areas which were inundated in just two hours of non-stop rain. The residents of these localities were looking helplessly at the sewerage mixed rainwater gushing into their homes and shops.
The rain, which started with slight drizzle at around 9 a.m., picked up momentum at around 10 a.m. and continued for almost two hours non-stop. The intensity of the rain dropped down at 12:30 in the afternoon and it stopped completely at around 2 p.m. The rain, which was recorded to be around 110 mm in Rawalpindi as well as Islamabad, swelled the Nullah Leh to inundate densely populated low-lying areas. Arya Mohallah, Javaid Colony, Raheemabad, Nadeem Colony New Katarian, Gawalmandi and Javed Colony were severely affected where flood-like situation caused serious damages to property.
Emergency sirens could be heard in Rawalpindi, as the district government alerted people residing in the low-lying areas near Nullah Leh. However, the residents of these localities bemoaned the apathy of the concerned authorities, who have failed to take any steps for preventing floodwater entering their localities. “Every year, we hear that Rawalpindi Development Authority has completed dredging of Nullah Leh and people would not face any flood-like situation. However, the claims prove to be nothing but lip service as every year when monsoon arrives, we have to face the dreaded dilemma of inundated streets and flooded homes,” said disgruntled Aman Khan, a resident of New Katarian, who was trying to drain out rainwater from his house.
On Tuesday, four people were reportedly killed in different rain-related incidents in Rawalpindi.
In Jan Colony, two persons, including a three-year-old girl, identified as Reema, and her grandfather drowned in Nullah Leh. While incidents of roof collapse occurred in Dhoke Banaras, which claimed two lives.
Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat supervised relief operation in some flood-hit areas. Commissioner Zahid Saeed and DCO Saqib Zafar and other high officials visited certain parts of Rawalpindi which were badly hit by rain.
Rainwater damaged houses and valuables at Adiala Road, Gorakhpur, Tahli Mohri, Lalkurti, Dheri Hassanabad, Dhoke Syedan, Dhoke Mangtal, Misrial Road, Baraf Khana, Rehmatabad, Jan Colony, Humak, Sohan, Kurri, Mohallah Chah Sultan, Shakrial and Jamia Masjid Road. The rain also damaged electricity poles and transformers in many localities, which caused electricity outages for prolonged period in several localities, including Dhoke Paracha.
Nullah Leh is rainwater-fed natural stream flowing through the city of Rawalpindi. Every monsoon season, the stream floods after being fed by its catchment basin in the Margalla Hills bordering capital, Islamabad. The Nullah Leh basin has a catchment area of 234.8 square kilometres, extending to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Nullah Leh has a dreaded history of floods, however, nobody could forget the national tragedy of July 23, 2001, when a record level of 620 mm of rainfall fell in Islamabad, in just 10 hours, bringing in its wake huge urban storm flooding in the Nullah Leh.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director Dr. Muhammad Hanif told ‘The News’ that heavy rain would continue during the next 24 hours and people should remain on high alert.
“Heavy downpour is expected in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Lahore, Malakand, Haripur, Peshawar, and Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said adding that Rawalpindi on Tuesday received 110 mm of rain raising the water level in Nullah Leh to almost 16 feet.
Nullah Leh starts from the IJP Road in Islamabad at the administrative boundary between the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Apart from flow from Islamabad area, 11 main drains of Rawalpindi City also contribute to Nullah Leh. The Nullah Leh combined with its tributaries such as Saidpur Kasi, Kanitwali, Badarwali Kasi and Tenawali Kasi, originating from Margalla Hills enters in Rawalpindi city from IJ principal Road and Khayaban-e- Sir Syed. Below Kattarian Bridge, in the jurisdiction area of Rawalpindi, the main stream meets other three major tributaries; Nikki Leh, Pirwadhai Kas and Dhoke Ratta Nullah one after another, then flows down through the center of Rawalpindi City and finally pours into Soan River. In addition to these major tributaries, there are six other tributaries or drainage channels-sewage channels, which join the main stream between the confluences of Dhoke Ratta Nullah and Soan River thus affecting a massive area.
According to the City District Government, Rawalpindi, the water touched the alert level during rain. “There are three levels: when water in Nullah Leh reaches as high as 11 feet it is called the pre-alert level, the 16 feet mark is the alert level and 20 feet or beyond calls for evacuation in the area. Water in Nullah Leh was flowing as high as 16 feet near New Katarian Bridge and 12 feet under the Gawalmandi Bridge,” said Rawal Town (Administrator) Imran Qureshi.
Imran Qureshi said that the local administration is fully prepared to cope with any kind of emergency as a control room has been setup in the office of Rawal Town Administration (RTA) near Liaquat Bagh to monitor the water level in Nullah Leh during monsoon season.
Apart from facing havoc of floods, Rawalpindi has a history of poor drainage system and the problem compounds whenever it rains. On Tuesday, the cantonment areas like Girja Colony, Dhoke Chiraghdin, Jan Colony, Ahmedabad and People’s Colony were affected by heavy rains as well where rainwater accumulated on streets and roads by more than three feet due to choked and poor drainage system.
“For years, the nullah passing through the heart of the city’s downtown areas has been swelling during the monsoon playing havoc with public life and property. But serious and tangible efforts on part of the local administration to contain the problem are yet to be seen. It has become a routine that after the damage is done statements full of promises about corrective measures are issued by the administration. But they are never fulfilled,” said Moeen Ali, a resident of People’s Colony, while talking to ‘The News’.