Departments put on high alert, round the clock control room activated for monsoon season

RAWALPINDI, Jul 02 (APP): Rawalpindi administration has put all relevant departments on high alert amid monsoon season.

A control room has also been activated for round the clock updates.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema jn this regard chaired a high-level meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to review preparedness and contingency arrangements for the monsoon season.

The meeting, held at the DC Complex on Thursday, was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarters Abdul Rehman Khan, Assistant Commissioners and senior officers from Rescue 1122, Health Department, WASA, RDA, Municipal Corporation, Civil Defense, PDMA, Police, and other line departments.

During the meeting, officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department briefed the participants regarding forecasted monsoon rains and potential weather patterns across the Rawalpindi district.

Addressing the meeting, DC. Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema warned that heavy monsoon rains could trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas, sudden surges in rain drains, and landslides in vulnerable hilly terrains. He directed all departments to continuously monitor weather updates, keep alert systems fully operational, and complete all precautionary measures beforehand.

The DDMA reviewed the monsoon emergency plan, institutional readiness, drainage arrangements, de-silting of rain drains, availability of de-watering machinery, and rescue resources. The DC emphasized that ensuring the safety of citizens’ lives and property is the top priority of the administration.

He directed the Assistant Commissioners to personally supervise monsoon arrangements in their respective tehsils on a daily basis. He further ordered that emergency control rooms must remain active 24/7 with dedicated staff and machinery, warning that no negligence or laxity would be tolerated in this regard.

Pakistan MET Office has already issued weather alert for recent rains. The twin cities received heavy downpours started from Wednesday evening and continued with intervals till early Thursday morning.