RAWALPINDI: Heavy rain lashed Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Tuesday morning, inundating low-lying areas, raising the water level in Leh Nullah and prompting the district administration in the garrison city to announce a holiday for educational institutions.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the water level in Leh Nullah had risen to 29 feet at Kattarian and 23.5 feet at Gawalmandi.

Evacuation began along Kattarian and Gawalmandi as 200mm of rain was recorded in the catchment areas of Leh Nullah.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the raised water levels have led to “urban flooding risks in low-lying areas” of the twin cities.

He said “all relief and emergency departments”, including the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), Rescue 1122 and the district administration, were on high alert and deployed on the ground to manage drainage and ensure safety.

PMD data till 8:20am showed that Saidpur received 104mm of rainfall, 157mm in Golra, 72mm in Bokra, 155 mm at the PMD site near H-8/2, 74mm at Kutchery, 201mm at Shamsabad, 86mm at Pir Widhai, 186mm at New Kattarian.

In Rawalpindi, the district administration announced a public holiday for educational institutions. In a post on X, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner (DC) urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel.

Rescue 1122 said in a statement that operations were conducted in several areas of Rawalpindi following the rain, and 60 people were safely evacuated.

The statement, released around noon, also said that residents in several areas were stuck inside their homes and efforts to evacuate them were under way.

Islamabad DC Irfan Nawaz Memon said on X that the torrential rainfall had caused the water level in Rawal Dam to exceed the set limit, due to which the spillways will be opened at 2pm. He urged the public to avoid going near nullahs.

In another post, DC Memon said “record” rainfall in E-11 had resulted in overflowing drains, which caused water to inundate roads and “enter illegal basements that had already been sealed”. He added that residents in the “illegal society Ghauri Town Phase 2 had blocked the drain with slabs”, leading to the flooding.

The officer directed that strict action be taken against those involved in blocking the drain and the drainage process be intensified through dewatering pumps.

In an earlier statement, the DC said rescue work was underway after a wall collapse in D12, although no loss of life was reported.

Islamabad traffic police also issued an advisory, urging motorists to allow extra travel time, reduce speed and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles as water accumulation could affect traffic.

Motorists were advised to use fog lights during poor visibility and remain in their designated lanes. The traffic police said water accumulation on some roads could affect the normal flow of traffic and advised citizens to plan their journeys accordingly and leave home accordingly.

Journalist Hamid Mir shared a video of a flooded area and cars submerged in water, saying that parts of the Islamabad Expressway had been inundated by rainwater and several vehicles were stuck.

Emergency measures no longer sufficient: Sherry Rehman

PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman expressed serious concern over the flooding, saying the situation had exposed “serious weaknesses” in the country’s disaster preparedness and urban flood management systems.

“Is this really the level of preparedness we have for dealing with heavy rains and floods? The situation in the twin cities has once again exposed the weaknesses of our disaster management system,” she said in a statement.

Rehman said recurring municipal challenges remained evident, including unchecked construction, poor urban planning, and a gap between development spending and climate-resilient infrastructure — the same issues that contributed to severe flooding every year.

“This is always a reactive discussion. It begins only after the damage has already been done, after lives have been lost, homes destroyed, livestock washed away, and communities devastated. There is no sustained national public conversation on these issues throughout the year,” the senator added.

Rehman added that emergency measures after every episode of heavy rainfall were no longer sufficient, and that “permanent and effective reforms” were required instead. She called on federal and provincial institutions to stop “shifting responsibility and instead work through a coordinated strategy to protect citizens”.

She emphasised the need to modernise drainage systems, ensure regular cleaning and maintenance of storm-water channels, strengthen flood management mechanisms and establish effective early warning systems. She also called for the immediate acceleration of relief activities in affected areas, safe evacuation of vulnerable citizens and provision of food, clean drinking water and urgent medical assistance.

Terming today’s rainfall a “clear warning”, she said that the government needed to establish a “permanent, effective and resilient system for managing urban flooding” instead of repeated emergency responses.

The former climate minister had earlier shared a video showing multiple cars on a flooded street submerged in water up to half their height.

“The rain in Rawalpindi-Islamabad from last night has brought the cities to a dangerous tipping point,” she wrote.

Rain had also lashed the twin cities on Monday afternoon, disrupting normal life and inundating low-lying areas. The downpour continued for two hours with small intervals.

Last week, the Met Office had predicted more rain in the country’s upper parts until September 5. It had warned that heavy rains may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Mardan, Swabi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore during the forecast period.