Rawalpindi Orders Evacuations as Nullah Leh Surges After Torrential Rain
RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Authorities began evacuating residents from vulnerable areas along Nullah Leh on Tuesday after torrential monsoon rain battered Islamabad and Rawalpindi, inundating roads and neighbourhoods and sending the storm channel above critical levels.
The rapidly developing situation prompted warning sirens along the waterway and instructions for people living in low-lying settlements to immediately move to safer locations.
Latest figures reported by Dawn, citing the Pakistan Meteorological Department, showed Nullah Leh reaching 29 feet at Kattarian and 23.5 feet at Gawalmandi, substantially higher than figures reported earlier in the morning. Evacuations had begun in both areas.
The changing readings are significant because the situation developed rapidly. Express Urdu initially reported the water at 14.5 feet at Kattarian, later rising to 18.5 feet, while Gawalmandi increased from seven to 11 feet. Subsequent PMD figures reported by Dawn placed both locations considerably higher.
For a developing flood story, the latest timestamped measurements should therefore take precedence over earlier readings.
More Than 200mm Rain Hits Catchment
Exceptionally heavy rainfall was recorded across parts of the twin cities and the Nullah Leh catchment.
PMD data reported by Dawn showed 201mm at Shamsabad, 186mm at New Kattarian, 157mm at Golra and 155mm near H-8/2, while Saidpur recorded 104mm.
The heavy downpour caused water to accumulate rapidly in low-lying areas and placed additional pressure on urban drainage systems.
Express Urdu reported that authorities warned of a large flood surge moving from Islamabad towards Rawalpindi and feared continued rainfall in the catchment could cause further rapid increases in Nullah Leh.
Residents Told to Evacuate
Authorities instructed people living beside Nullah Leh and in vulnerable low-lying neighbourhoods to leave immediately for safer areas.
Residents were also advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from the swollen waterway and other flood-prone locations.
The warning should be treated as an active public-safety instruction rather than merely a precautionary weather advisory because evacuations were reported to have begun around Kattarian and Gawalmandi.
Emergency departments, including Rescue 1122, Wasa and other agencies, had already been placed on high alert as authorities prepared for the latest spell of heavy monsoon rainfall.
Rawalpindi Announces Holiday
The Rawalpindi district administration announced a holiday for educational institutions amid the flooding and deteriorating travel conditions.
Express Urdu subsequently reported a broader local holiday in Rawalpindi district on September 1, while emergency departments and essential authorities were to continue operating.
The district administration urged citizens to avoid unnecessary movement.
Floodwater disrupted roads in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with vehicles becoming stranded on the Islamabad Expressway and traffic slowing on several major routes.
Floodwater Enters Homes
The effects were not limited to roads.
In Rawalpindi’s UC-44 Dhok Farman Ali, an overflowing rainwater channel sent water through streets and into homes, according to Express Urdu.
Other low-lying areas also experienced urban flooding.
In Islamabad’s E-11, Express reported around 150mm of rain falling within a short period, causing a drain to overflow and sending water onto roads and into some basements that authorities had previously sealed.
Dewatering operations were launched under the supervision of the Islamabad administration.
A protective wall also collapsed in D-12/2, prompting rescue activity. Express reported no casualties or property losses from that particular incident at the time of publication.
Army on Standby, Not Formally Called In
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema said the Pakistan Army’s 111 Brigade was in contact with the civil administration, but clarified that it had not at that point been formally called in.
This distinction is important because early coverage could create the impression that troops had already been deployed for a military-led rescue operation.
The more accurate status in the latest Express report is that the army was available and coordinating with civilian authorities, but the 111 Brigade had not yet been formally requisitioned.
The deputy commissioner also said rainfall had stopped and the water level at Kattarian had fallen by around one foot at that stage, expressing hope that conditions could improve over the following two hours.
However, water-level reports issued during a fast-moving flood emergency can change quickly, and residents should continue following official evacuation and safety instructions.
Monsoon Emergency Remains Developing
The latest flooding follows warnings from local authorities that another spell of monsoon rain could affect Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Before Tuesday’s severe downpour, Wasa and other emergency agencies had already been placed on alert, with drainage machinery and flood-response teams ordered to remain operational.
The immediate concern is Nullah Leh, which carries stormwater through densely populated parts of Rawalpindi and has a long history of dangerous flooding during intense monsoon rainfall.
Authorities are therefore monitoring both rainfall in Islamabad’s upstream catchment and water levels downstream in Rawalpindi.
As of the latest reporting reviewed for this article, no confirmed deaths from Tuesday morning’s twin-cities flooding had been reported in the cited sources. That could change as authorities assess affected neighbourhoods.
Residents in evacuation zones should rely on instructions from the district administration, PMD, Rescue 1122 and other emergency authorities rather than attempting to approach Nullah Leh to observe the flood.
