Record heavy rain on Thursday submerged most areas of Lahore, turning the provincial capital into a deluge with rainwater flooding roads, houses and hospitals, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab put emergency services on alert after heavy rain inundated several localities in Lahore amid a monsoon spell that is expected to last until August 6.
The heavy rain which began well before the sunrise continued uninterrupted until as the noon drew closer. The electricity supply was also suspended in a number of areas of the city.
The torrential rain inundated many areas of Lahore as the metropolis recorded maximum 350mm rain within four hours and it was likely to get worse as the downpour continued but with less severity.
In Lahore, maximum rain 357mm, breaking the 44-year-old record, was recorded at Allama Iqbal International Airport, 282mm at Nishtar Town, 232mm at Iqbal Town, 222mm in Johar Town, 225mm at Paniwala Talab, 220mm at Samanabad and 202mm at Mughalpura.
Due to heavy rain the Alhamd Colony of Allama Iqbal Town was submerged into rainwater with houses flooded by three-foot water damaging equipment and goods.
According to 24News TV channel, the heavy rain was not only restricted to Lahore as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Pakpattan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Bhimber and Karachi were also lashed by the monsoon downpour.
The roads outside the Governor House and the Chamba House were giving a look of a pond where two feet rainwater was accumulated.
Laxmi Chowk was again inundated in the 36-inch rainwater exposing claims of WASA and district authorities that they were fully prepared to deal with any situation.
The situation was no different in Alfalah Town, Bedian Road.
The electricity supply was also badly disrupted by the heavy rain, tripping more than 400 Lesco feeders and many transformers going out of order.
Youth dies of electric shock
A young man breathed his last after he touched an electric pole in Kot Lakhpat area of Lahore amid heavy rain.
According to the police, 25-year-old Ashiq came out of his house to buy breakfast but died soon after he touched the pole.
The Rescue 1122 personnel handed over the body to police after necessary procedural work.
The police, however, informed media men that the family did not want to file complaint against anyone.
2 drown in Rawalpindi, Murree
Two people drowned during heavy rain in Rawalpindi and Murree.
A young girl, aged 20, who was riding a scooty drown in a nullah in Phase Si of a private housing society in Rawalpindi.
Rescue teams launched an operation to recover the body.
Meanwhile, two RWMC workers drowned while trying to clean a drain in Mochi Mandi area of Murree.
Local residents were able to recover them from the nullah and shifted them to THQ Hospital where 48-year-old Sultan son of Imran breathed his last.
Emergency services on alert
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said “Heavy rain continues in various areas of the provincial capital of Lahore and the relevant departments are to stay on high alert to deal with emergency situations.”
He said the PDMA team was monitoring the situation while asking Rescue 1122 to remain prepared for any medical emergencies.
Kathia also instructed deputy commissioners across the province to be vigilant and ensure rapid drainage of water from low-lying area. “Citizens should take precautions and stay away from electric poles and hanging wires,” he continued. “The public should stay away from mud houses and dilapidated buildings,” Kathia said and added “Take special care of children and do not allow them near accumulated water in low-lying areas.”
More rains on the way
Pakistan Meteorological Department officials termed the rains "torrential", saying there were heavy rains across Lahore. "There were more rains in Sindh compared to Punjab. But this was expected."
Met officials said "This spell is expected to see a fall in its intensity, but it will keep raining intermittently till today evening as there's a substantial cloud mass. From August 1-6 several parts of the country will see rain."
With heavy downpours paralysing Lahore, rainwater entered Services Hospital and Mayo Hospital's emergency department, causing extreme distress to the patients.
Karachi receives 12mm rain
Karachi received a maximum of 11-12mm light to moderate rain. However, there are some areas in the megacity where there was no downpour.
The forecast said it is expected that rain would halt tomorrow. However, August 3 there's another spell expected, which will continue till August 6.
Airport Road, Sadar, II Chundrigar, Tariq Road, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Sharea Faisal, Malir Halt, and Malir Cantt received rain intermittently.
The monsoon season is crucial for the South Asian region, providing essential water for agriculture, which is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. However, unprecedented cloudbursts driven by climate change have increasingly turned this vital weather pattern into a threat, as seen in the devastating 2022 floods that caused an estimated $35 billion in losses and claimed over 1,700 lives.
Reporters Ali Ramay, Imran Younus, Azmat Awan, Ali Sahi, Bassam Sultan, Haider Ali, Durre Nayab, Shahid Sipra, Ershad Qureshi and Muhammad Hammad