Heavy rainfall, windstorm disrupt electricity supply

Rawalpindi: The electricity system in the majority of localities was affected during heavy rainfall followed by a windstorm here on Tuesday.

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed many parts of the city resulted in several trees and electricity pylons were uprooted disrupting the power supply. Fortunately, no causalities have been reported till the filing of this report.

Big and small signboards also fell down due to strong windstorm.

The majority of areas here in the city and cantonment faced power outages of long hours as 53 power feeders tripped disrupting the electricity supply. Several faults appeared in electricity feeders while consumers faced prolonged power outages, tripping, fluctuation, and low voltage.

Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) Official Spokesman Raja Asim Nazir told ‘The News’ that several feeders were affected due to heavy rainfall and windstorm. Several trees were uprooted and electricity poles were broken disrupting the power supply in different localities. “Our field staff is trying to find out faults to restart electricity in affected localities,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) Chief Chaudhry Abdul Razaaq has appealed to people not to touch electric poles during rain.

Massive gridlocks were witnessed on Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road, Airport Road, Jhelum Road, Bakramandi Road, Asghar Mall Road, Pirwadhai Road, Peshawar Road, and adjoining arteries, compounding the misery of motorists and pedestrians alike.

The residents of Committee Chowk, Adiala Road, Al-Mumtaz Colony, Tench Bhatta, Shamsabad, Lalazar, Bakramandi, Tariqabad, Lalkurti, Dheri Hasanabad, Dhamyal, Rawat, Gulistan Colony, Dhoke Juma, Waris Khan, Morgha, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Chandni Chowk, Mareer Hasan, Tahli Mohri, Scheme No-III and several other localities faced not only long hours of power outage but also the worst water shortage. All filtration plants were also not functioning during power outages.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director Raja Shaukat said that I have sent big vehicles to dewater-affected areas. “The most affected areas were Murree Road, Urology Hospital, Committee Chowk Underpass, Liaquat Bagh, Asghar Mall Chowk, and some others but we have controlled this situation, he claimed.