ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: Rain in Islamabad continued without a break for the third day running on Tuesday while Rawalpindi and surrounding areas also continued to receive intermittent shower or drizzle throughout the day with the conditions remaining heavily overcast.

On the third day of the current wetspell, the activity in shopping centres and markets picked up and so did the attendance in offices and educational institutions of the federal capital. There were fewer accidents on Tuesday as compared to the first two days. So far, the Islamabad traffic police has registered 16 cases of road accidents resulting out of slippery conditions on the roads.

The police sources said there were more then 60 accidents because of slippery conditions but the owners of vehicles involved in those accidents decided not to press for registering cases and settled the matter amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, the Met office said the current wetspell was the heaviest winter rains over the last 30 years, which has affected the whole country.

According to the Met office sources, the 106mm rain in Hyderabad is the maximum in recorded history of the city. They said the areas in Hyderabad city and its surroundings including Gaddap, Ali Mohammad Goth and Dawood Goth were hit by a severe wind storm, which resulted in loss of life and badly damaged the property.

During the current wetspell, Thar and Cholistan deserts also received good rains. In Thar, the Met office recorded 20mm of rainfall but now it has stopped. In Cholistan, the recorded rainfall is 30mm and it is still continuing intermittently.

In the drought-hit areas of Balochistan, moderate rain has been reported while in the northern Balochistan, including Zhob and Quetta, the rainfall remained good and some snow was also reported from Quetta. The Met office said light snowfall was continuing in northern Balochistan.

It said in Kalam and Malam Jabba, four to five feet of snowfall had been recorded but the snowfall in Murree remained below average this year so far.

Reallocate in Azad Kashmir received maximum rain of 346mm followed by Garhi Dopatta with 281mm, Murree 226mm, Muzaffarabad 208mm, Balakot 197mm, Saidu Sharif 194mm, Abbottabad 187mm, Islamabad 170mm, Rawalpindi 140mm, Peshawar 135mm, Risalpur 117mm, Kotli 116mm, Hyderabad 106mm, Parachinar 100mm, Jehlum 95mm, Quetta 83mm, Mandi Bahauddin 75mm, Lahore 75mm, Chilas 46mm, Sialkot 45mm, Faisalabad 45mm and Khanpur 44mm.

According to the Met office, Parachinar remained the coldest spot in the country with temperatures as low as -6 degrees. The office said the wet spell was likely to continue for the next 24 hours.

Our Staff Reporter from Rawalpindi adds: The three-day continuous rains inundated streets and roads in the low-lying areas due to which most of the gutters were reported choked on Tuesday.

The residents said the gutters in various localities like Muslim Town, Sadiqabad, Afendi Colony, Kurri Road, Dhoke Ali Akbar, Mohammadi Colony, Mohanpura, Amarpura and Satellite Town F-Block had been choked and garbage had started floating in muddy water. In some of these areas, there was knee-deep water making it difficult for the people and small vehicles to pass through.

In some areas, the link roads have been flooded. Link roads like Chirah Road, Fifth Road, Muslim Town main road, the secondary road near Naz Cinema, main road near Arian Mohallah, Tipu Road, Saidpur Road and so many others in the low-lying areas remained flooded all the day long as the downpour continued for the whole day.

APP adds: The current wave of rainfall is sufficient to expose the twin cities’ unplanned road construction and maintenance.

Near Melody Food Park and between Zero Point to Constitution Avenue, water accumulated at scattered places, thus creating a hindrance in traffic flow.

In Rawalpindi, the airport-bound traffic on Rawal Road on Monday evening was diverted to Murree Road to avoid several feet high water on the road.

The un-levelled surface of road, somewhere deep enough to be appear like small ponds is the proof of negligence of concerned authorities concerned, which got exposed after rains.

Not only the rainwater but also the traffic signals created jams at several places of Murree Road, when their electric system went out of order.

A car, last evening on Zero Point hit another during the rainfall. The slippery texture of Zero Point-Highway has often been blamed for such accidents in the past too.

MURREE: Murree, the Queen of Hills, received heaviest snowfall of the season on Tuesday evening.

As a result of the snowfall, which started at 5pm, the traffic on roads linking Murree with Rawalpindi and other Galliyat came to a standstill creating problems for the local commuters.

Murree, which attracted a large number of tourists in December and January, has been giving a deserted look for the past three days as most of the people have postponed their visit to the hill station due to ongoing rainy season.

Abdul Rahman, a hotel owner, said a large number of people visited Murree in January to see snow but they were disappointed as snowfall started very late. However, this is the proper time to visit Murree and enjoy snowfalling.

Local people say it is after a very long time that Murree has received such a heavy snow.

Meanwhile, the locals are also facing hardships due to frequent power failures and water shortage in many areas. Telephones in most of the areas are lying dead and the authorities are trying to restore the telephonic link.

TAXILA: Continuing rain and power breakdowns have brought the life of inhabitants of Taxila to a complete standstill.

Trees uprooted due to heavy storms damaging the electricity lines. As a result, power supply remained suspended to various localities connected with the Museum feeder.

Suspension of electricity caused shortage of water in various wards of the city.

The harsh weather also affected the business activities as majority of the people preferred to stay inside their homes.

Attendance in the educational institutions including schools and colleges was very thin. Only a limited number of employees attended public as well as private sector offices.

Rainwater inundated streets and roads, including the GT Road, showing the inefficiency of civic agency in keeping the drainage system operational.

Meanwhile, several persons sustained injuries while travelling on slippery roads. Sources in hospital said majority of the accident victims were motorcycle riders.