Lahore records 343mm of rain in 48 hours as authorities step up drainage operations across city
A traffic police officer redirects traffic as heavy monsoon rains lash Lahore for the second day. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
At least 43 people died and 177 others were injured in monsoon-related incidents in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), disaster management authorities in the two provinces said on Thursday, as heavy rains continued to lash parts of the country, prompting fresh flood warnings and more downpours.
The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said at least 21 people died and 154 others were injured in monsoon-related incidents this year. Lahore received 343 mm of rain in the last 48 hours, prompting authorities to launch large-scale drainage operations across the provincial capital.
In KP, the PDMA said at least 22 people were killed and 23 injured in rain-related incidents. Authorities warned that intermittent heavy rain was likely to continue throughout Thursday.
The KP death toll included nine men, 10 children and three women, while the injured included 11 men, five women and seven children.
Flooded Lahore
The latest deaths in Punjab were reported as Lahore entered a second straight day of relentless monsoon rains, with roads, underpasses and low-lying neighborhoods submerged, disrupting traffic in the city and exposing weaknesses in the provincial capital’s drainage system.
A 19-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured after being electrocuted while riding through rainwater in Lahore as heavy rains flooded more than 130 localities in Lahore, disrupting traffic and prompting authorities to urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
Rescue 1122 said the victim, identified as Rehman, son of Mukhtar, suffered an electric shock while riding through stagnant rainwater on a motorcycle in Chungi Amar Sidhu area. He was shifted to Lahore General Hospital in critical condition.
The latest incident occurred as overnight rains left several roads in DHA Phases 1 to 5 waterlogged, disrupting traffic in the area. The Ghazi and Masjid Chowk underpasses were closed due to flooding, while traffic was diverted to alternative routes.
Around two feet of water accumulated between Defense Mor and Block A check post, slowing traffic, while vehicles were also diverted along Lalak Jan Chowk-LUMS, Wateen Chowk-LUMS and Main Boulevard stretches due to stagnant water.
The DHA administration said drainage teams were working in the affected locations, with water pumps activated to drain floodwaters and restore normal traffic conditions.
Meanwhile, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) said an 11kV power line near Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Area and Kacha Jail Road was damaged due to rain. The affected power line was shut down as a precaution while repair and power restoration work continued.
A sinkhole appeared on Khayaban-e-Firdousi, prompting traffic police to cordon off the area, place barriers and divert vehicles to alternative routes. The Traffic Officer of Lahore has ordered the concerned department to carry out immediate repairs.
In another incident, a deep sinkhole measuring around 10 square feet formed on the service road from Bhikay Wala Mor to Farooq Hospital after a portion of the road collapsed. The area was cordoned off, WASA crews were dispatched and traffic was diverted while repair works were organized.
According to the PDMA, roof and building collapses accounted for 15 of the 21 deaths, making structural failures the leading cause of deaths during the current monsoon. Two people died from lightning, three were electrocuted and one drowned.
Authorities also reported partial damage to 38 homes, while a head of livestock was killed.
Earlier Thursday, two teenage brothers were killed in a rain-related road accident. According to the Lahore Traffic Police, the brothers were traveling from Lahore to Kasur when their motorcycle skidded on the rain-soaked road and crashed into a footpath near Gate No. 2 on the road from Central Park to Kasur.
The victims, identified as Hamza Arif, 18, and his brother Hassan Arif, 16, died instantly. Traffic police and rescue teams arrived at the scene immediately after receiving reports of the accident.
A traffic police spokesperson said preliminary findings suggested the motorcycle had spun out of control due to slippery road conditions.
Read also: Urban flooding, deadly electrocutions reveal Lahore’s drainage woes amid Punjab monsoon response
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore Syed Abdul Raheem Shirazi expressed sadness over the deaths and urged motorists, especially motorcyclists, to exercise extreme caution during rainy weather.
“Drive motorcycles very carefully and at an appropriate speed during rain,” the CTO said, urging motorcyclists to wear helmets and avoid speeding and dangerous overtaking on slippery roads.
According to traffic police, waterlogging was reported at more than 130 places in Lahore, including Chuburji Chowk, Jain Mandir, Library Chowk, Shalimar Chowk, Ghazi Road, Children’s Hospital, Barkat Market and Chungi Amar Sidhu.
Traffic police advised motorists to drive at safe speeds, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles and avoid sudden braking. Motorcyclists were urged to wear helmets, avoid unnecessary overtaking and refrain from riding on flooded roads without first assessing the water level.
The advisory also urges residents to stay away from utility poles, transformers, power lines and downed power lines, and to avoid sheltering under trees, weak walls, signs or building structures during rain.
The CTO called on residents to avoid unnecessary travel, check traffic conditions before leaving their homes and follow the instructions of WASA officials and traffic wardens in waterlogged areas. “With a little precaution, we can save precious lives,” Shirazi said.
Learn more: Rain death toll in KP rises to 20, more rain forecast: PDMA
PDMA Director General Umar Abbas Meela has ordered all district administrations to remain on alert during the second monsoon spell, warning of the risk of urban flooding and flash floods.
He said the Punjab government was ensuring that the injured received the best possible medical treatment, while the families of those killed would receive financial assistance ranging from Rs 1 million to Rs 5 million under the provincial government’s compensation policy.
Meela also asked deputy commissioners to enforce section 144 along rivers and streams to prevent people from entering dangerous areas.
He urged residents not to stay in dilapidated or structurally unsafe buildings, noting that the greatest number of deaths were due to the collapse of old and weakened roofs.
Parents were also advised to keep their children away from electricity poles, overhead power lines and low-lying areas, saying precautionary measures could help prevent further loss of lives and property.
KP on alert
The KP PDMA reported damage to 37 houses, of which 29 were partially damaged and eight completely destroyed after four days of rain.
Casualties and damage were reported from Peshawar, Nowshera, Khyber, Mardan, Buner, Bajaur, Shangla, Swabi, Lower Chitral, Lower and Upper Dir, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Tank, Tor Ghar, Kurram and North and South Waziristan.
The authority said it was coordinating relief efforts with Rescue 1122, district administrations and other relevant agencies, while directing local authorities to expedite relief operations and ensure immediate assistance and relief to the affected families.
Despite the heavy rainfall, the PDMA said water levels in the province’s rivers and streams remained within normal limits. However, all district administrations have been put on alert as intermittent heavy rains are expected to continue.
The authority urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from vulnerable tourist destinations and follow official weather advisories.
More rain forecast
Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that another round of widespread heavy rain is expected over the next 24 hours in Lahore, other parts of Punjab, Kashmir and Islamabad-Rawalpindi region.
The department warned that urban flooding, flash flooding in local waterways and landslides in Murree and Galiyat are possible, urging authorities and the public to take precautionary measures.
