- Homes, roads flooded in several Lahore areas.
- WASA drainage efforts continue across low-lying zones.
- More heavy rain likely until July 13.
LAHORE: Heavy rainfall that began at 5am on Wednesday lashed Lahore for over six hours, submerging low-lying areas, paralysing traffic, and causing structural damage in several districts across Punjab.
The rain stopped around 11:30am, but drainage work by WASA teams is still ongoing.
Nishtar Town received the heaviest downpour, recording 182mm, while rainwater entered homes in Dharampura, Shah Jamal, Choburji, and surrounding localities. Vehicles and motorcycles were stranded in deep water, especially in underpasses and along major roads.
A house and mosque in Shah Jamal were also flooded. Wall and roof collapse incidents were reported in Lahore, Okara, Sheikhupura, and Pattoki, leaving five people dead, including a woman and two children, and injuring several others.
In Sheikhupura, two children — 5-year-old Fatima and 2-year-old Arham — were killed when their home’s roof collapsed. In Pattoki, a 55-year-old woman named Salma Bibi and a 12-year-old boy named Sujawal lost their lives in separate incidents.
In Lahore, a boy was electrocuted while bathing in rainwater collected in a vacant plot near Lari Adda.
Lahore’s Katchi Abadis and underpasses were heavily affected, including areas around Kalma Chowk, Ferozepur Road, Haji Camp, Canal Road, and Harbanspura. Despite ongoing drainage efforts, many neighbourhoods remained waterlogged.
The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) reported outages on 142 feeders, disrupting power supply in many areas. CEO LESCO urged citizens to avoid power poles and infrastructure during wet conditions and said restoration work would begin once rain stopped.
WASA Managing Director Ghaffar Ahmed visited affected areas and directed staff to quickly clear major roads. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz appreciated WASA staff working through the storm and ordered uninterrupted operations until all roads were cleared.
The Meteorological Department has predicted that monsoon rains will continue intermittently until July 13, with more downpours expected in Lahore, Jhelum, Sialkot, Narowal, and Hafizabad in the next 24 hours.
