The Meteorological Department and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have repeatedly issued alerts about higher-than-normal rainfall during this year’s monsoon, prompting citizens nationwide to brace for the risk of severe river flooding and urban inundation.
Anxiety is particularly high in the federal capital, where the traumatic memories of the catastrophic flooding in Sector E-11 three years ago still linger. The heavy downpours forecasted for this monsoon season have raised fears of a recurrence of the disastrous floods of 2021.
In Sector E-11, those floods led to the tragic loss of two lives and caused financial damages amounting to crores of rupees. The primary cause of the devastation was illegal constructions obstructing the natural drainage systems. Citizens blamed relevant government institutions for failing to curb these illegal activities.
With monsoon rains at their peak, residents of Islamabad express growing concerns over the alerts from the Meteorological Department and NDMA. Many recall the harrowing floods of 2021 and fear that the situation might repeat if adequate measures are not taken.
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The city administration has divided Islamabad into urban and rural sections for better management and undertaken pre-monsoon efforts to clean drains and prepare dewatering pumps. The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) director stated that teams are on standby with necessary equipment, and emergency patrolling has been initiated.
However, citizens criticize the authorities for allowing illegal constructions that exacerbate flooding. One resident told SAMAA TV that rainwater flowing from the mountains and through E-11 has always been an issue. “The CDA should have intervened, but they didn’t as housing societies keep narrowing the drains and making plots,” he added. Despite the flooding risks, no preventive measures have been taken, and the CDA continues to collect taxes without addressing the real issues.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has conceded that some developers of private housing schemes have indeed encroached upon storm drains, causing blockages. These “china cuttings” have been a significant factor in the recurrent flooding problems. As weather conditions rapidly change, citizens are preparing for potential floods.
