RAWALPINDI - Torrential rain created difficulties for citizens on Tuesday, as many low-lying areas, including police station Airport, were flooded.
Water level in Nullah Leh reportedly went high. Heavy snowfall cut off Murree from twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad with stranding many tourists on the hill station. According to Met Office officials, so far Murree has received five feet snow.
Due to harsh weather and snowfall, the board of intermediate and secondary education (BISE) Rawalpindi postponed the matriculation examination in Murree.
Heavy rain that continued for 14 hours lashed the city. The power supply companies suspended the electricity while zero pressure of gas also doubled the miseries of the citizens. Traffic remained chocked on all the major roads. The sewerage lines in most of the localities got chocked owing to which rainwater entered the houses and shops damaging precious stuff.
The building of PS Airport also flooded with rainwater. The water suckers vehicles of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) rushed to the police station and pumped out the water. The roof and walls of the police station started leaking.
All the education institution and offices, both private and government run, seen thin presence of students and workers because of heavy rain. The business activities remained low; however, a huge rush of customers could be witnessed on the shops of pakoras, samosas, soup and tea stalls. A sharp increase in sale of umbrellas and raincoats was witnessed in Saddar and Raja Bazaar.
The residents of many areas denounced the poor service of civic bodies for not paying attention to improve the drainage system to protect their houses from rainwater. They complained that outdated and narrow sewerage lines needed to be replaced.
Rain also raised water level in Nullah Leh and its tributaries. Rescue 1122 reported that water in Leh raised by 6.8 feet. Rescue 1122 and police said no casualty was reported in any part of the city.
According to Met Office said, Rawalpindi received 95mm rain while Islamabad received 84mm rain during last 24 hours.
The snowfall has led to closure of many roads in Murree while a large number of vehicles and tourists stranded in the hill station, a traffic official said. The residents are facing fuel shortage while the hotel owners jacked up the rents of rooms putting the tourist families in huge trouble.
BISER spokesman Arslan Cheema told media that the board keeping in view bad weather conditions had cancelled Matric annual 2014 morning/evening papers of Physics, Islamic Studies and Advance Islamic Studies to be held today (Wednesday) in Tehsil Murree. However, the exams in centres of Lawrence College Gora Galli and Military College Lower Tops would continue as per their schedule, he added.