Gujrat sinks after record 577mm rain in 24 hours

Streets turn into rivers as deadly monsoon urban floods hit Gujrat: Schools and govt offices shut, shops ruined after city and villages submerged under 4 to 6 feet of rainwater

Published: 11:23 AM, 4 Sep, 2025
Topics, Environment
Gujrat sinks after record 577mm rain in 24 hours
Caption: --representational image

In Gujrat, a record-breaking 577 millimetres of rainfall within just 24 hours caused devastating urban flooding, leaving the city submerged under four to six feet of water, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Thursday. 

According to the channel report, torrential downpours triggered overflowing seasonal drains, drowning villages, and damaging crops across the district.The deluge brought life to a standstill as educational institutions across the district were closed, while even key government offices and buildings, including the district jail and session court complex, were submerged. 

The urban flooding in Gujrat entered the residential areas breaking the embankments in the surroundings of Madina Syedan.
According to the details, the embankment failed to hold up against the urban flooding even after being repaired thrice. All the efforts to divert the deluge as of yet have failed even though the district administration had been warned a month prior to the flood hitting the area. The deluge, after wreaking havoc in the village entered the urban area of Gujrat sinking it up to five to six feet deep. It also engulfed the session court area.

Shops were inundated, destroying valuable goods, and a house was swept away by floodwaters near Nala Bhinder and Nala Bhimber. 

Residents described the situation as paralysing, with entire neighbourhoods underwater, and the families, especially women and kids, were stuck on the roofs of their houses.

Areas including Mohalla Shah Hussain, Kacheri Chowk, Gondal Chowk, Zahoor Elahi Stadium, and Jail Chowk saw dangerous water flow, spreading fear among locals. 

As per the channel report, attempts to divert floodwater into seasonal streams near Madina Sidan failed, causing water levels in urban areas to surge beyond six feet, submerging both rural and urban settlements.

Gujrat is a city located along the western bank of the Chenab River, in the northern region of Punjab, Pakistan. Historically, Gujarat’s rainy season typically lasts 10 months, from December to October, with July being the wettest month.

Climate experts note that climate change has intensified Pakistan’s monsoon rains, worsening urban flooding and disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.

For historical context, Pakistan’s heaviest-ever recorded rainfall was in Islamabad on July 23, 2001, when a cloudburst dumped 620 millimetres of rain within just 10 hours. Gujarat’s latest disaster echoes that scale of devastation.

Reporter: Rana Shehzad

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