At least 11 people lost their lives and many others sustained injuries as heavy monsoon rains lashed Lahore, its surrounding districts, and some parts of Balochistan Province in Pakistan on Wednesday.
In Lahore, Punjab, the heavy rainfall submerged low-lying areas and major roads, exposing the city’s inadequate drainage infrastructure with key areas experiencing severe water accumulation, reports Dawn. The flooded streets pose a health risk to residents, and disrupted daily life in several areas.
According to Rescue 1122—a professional management of emergencies such as medical emergencies in the country—nine people lost their lives and many others were injured in rain-related incidents across the province.
Two children died when the roof of their house collapsed due to the rain in Sheikhupura, Punjab. Rescue teams also retrieved four people trapped under the rubble of a collapsed house. In Jhelum valley, a cloudburst caused severe damage to houses and vehicles, while roads were destroyed.
According to data from the Water and Sanitation Agency’s (Wasa) Monsoon Control Room, Lahore received an average of 58.8mm of rain. The first spell of rain lashed the city from 2:45am to 5:40am (GMT +5), with a second, more intense downpour hitting in the late hours of the night.
At child was electrocuted by exposed wiring, while multiple Lesco feeders tripped across the city, leaving thousands without electricity for hours in Lahore.
“We’ve been without power since the morning and the stagnant water is making it impossible to leave our homes,” said Rukhsana Bibi, a resident of Mughalpura, which received 60mm of rain.
Two people were killed and another injured in separate rain-related incidents in Balochistan’s Khuzdar and Mastung districts on Wednesday. In Bolan Colony in the Kanak area of Mastung, a tanker carrying LPG overturned on a person due to slippery roads caused by the rain. The victim was killed on the spot.
Despite claims from the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) about deploying cleaning teams and clearing over 6,000 waste containers, citizens reported minimal improvements on the ground.
Monsoon rains also affected several other districts across Punjab in the last 24 hours. Other regions like Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Multan and Jhang also experienced downpours.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more intense rainfall over the next 24 hours in Lahore and much of Punjab. Irfan Ali Kathia, director general of Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), said the rains are expected to continue until July 13.
The current heatwaves have accelerated glacial melting across Gilgit-Baltistan, leading to widespread flooding and soil erosion that have disconnected roads, damaged homes, agriculture and disrupted power and water supplies in various areas.
Earlier this month, ten days of heavy monsoon rains and flash floods across Pakistan killed at least 72 people and injured more than 130, the National Disaster Management Authority and local officials, reported AP.