Do you believe Karachi’s rains are severe? Wait until you see the state of Islamabad’s brand new airpor18t following torrential rains! On Monday, rainwater infiltrated the Islamabad International Airport, partially collapsing its false ceiling following the latest round of downpours in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Computers and other equipment malfunctioned due to rainwater dripping from the ceiling above several counters, including immigration. Additionally, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff watched helplessly as sections of the roof collapsed under the weight of water. According to airport officials, scheduled operations did not cease, and the airport continued to operate normally. Additionally, officials stated that repairs were currently underway and would be completed shortly. Further, officials expressed hope that such incidents would not recur.
Twitter had a field day with the collapsed ceiling, and jokes began pouring in.
The airport, which cost Rs105 billion to build, was completed in May 2018. Two runways, each 12,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, and taxiways and aprons for wide-body aircraft are located at the airport. The public is irritated by this – that is a ridiculous sum to spend on a ceiling that collapses every time it rains. We can only hope that this situation resolves itself, as it is pretty humiliating. A similar incident occurred last year.
However, this is not the first time that the gleaming Islamabad airport has been damaged by rain. The false ceiling of the International Airport Departure Hall and contest was substantially collapsed in August 2020 due to heavy rainfall. An excessive water leak was observed in the gallery after that incident, but no one was injured. “The outer ceilings are designed in such a way that air can enter and circulate in areas without air conditioning. We occasionally encounter such a situation during high-speed winds,” Aviation Division spokesman Senior Joint Secretary Abdul Sattar Khokhar said at the time. Subsequently, an investigation into the leak was initiated.
Given that it occurred last year, preventative measures should have been taken to avoid a repeat. Heavy lightning struck Karachi on Thursday night, cooling the hot and muggy weather while inundating low-lying areas and roads, causing major power outages.
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