A seven-year-old child went missing after falling into a sewage drain during heavy rainfall near Kacha Stop on IJP Road in Rawalpindi, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation by emergency responders.
According to rescue officials, the child was swept away by the strong flow of water after falling into the drain. Rescue teams immediately rushed to the scene after receiving the emergency call, deploying five emergency vehicles, including ambulances, water rescue units, fire and rescue vehicles, along with a medical response team.
Rescue divers have been participating in the operation, which has continued for more than three hours as teams search for the missing child.
The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall across Rawalpindi, where several areas received significant precipitation. The highest rainfall of 33 millimetres was recorded in Gawalmandi, followed by 19mm in Kachhari, 17mm in Shamsabad, 16mm in New Katarian and 14mm in Pirwadhai.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident and directed authorities to utilize all available resources to locate the missing child. She instructed the Deputy Commissioner to monitor the rescue operation and sought regular updates on the progress of the search.
Authorities have urged residents to exercise extreme caution around open drains and water channels during heavy rains, as rescue efforts continue to locate the child.