Torrential rains hit Punjab, KP; 16 more people killed
Heavy rains forecast till July 13
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: At least 11 more people died in rain-related incidents as monsoon rains pour over different districts in northern Pakistan and heavy rainfall lashed Lahore for over six hours, submerging low-lying areas, paralysing traffic, and causing structural damage in several districts across Punjab.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a high alert for several regions, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Heavy rains are expected to continue until July 13, with flash floods anticipated in local nullahs and streams.
Of the 11 deceased, two children and a woman were killed in Kasur due to electrocution, while others died in lightning strikes and flash floods.
Mohsin, who fell into the Sharifabad drain in Islamabad, remains unknown. Eyewitnesses said he tried to cling to the edges of the drain but failed. Residents reported strong water flow in the drain.
Ongoing heavy downpours have led to severe disruptions in urban areas, with low-lying parts of Lahore, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala submerged in rainwater. Traffic in these cities has been severely impacted, with several roads blocked due to flooding.
The situation is further complicated by the risk of landslides in mountainous areas, particularly in K-P, Murree and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Meanwhile, in Balochistan, thunderstorms continue to affect regions like Zhob and Sibi, while rivers in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have swelled, triggering flood-like conditions.
Karachi, though largely unaffected, saw light to moderate rainfall in areas such as Gulshan-e-Hadeed and National Highway, causing minor disruptions.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid travelling in affected areas and to remain vigilant.
In Lahore, 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 namely 5-year-old Fatima and 2-year-old Arham died 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 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.
