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At least 11 people have died and numerous others were injured as intense monsoon rains swept through Pakistan's Lahore, surrounding districts in Punjab Province, and parts of Balochistan, the Dawn reported on Wednesday.
As per Dawn, the heavy downpours caused widespread flooding, severely disrupting daily life. In Lahore, the torrential rain inundated low-lying neighbourhoods and major roads, highlighting the city's poor drainage infrastructure. Data from Lahore's Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) revealed that the region received an average rainfall of 58.8 mm, with Nishtar Town recording the highest at 84 mm, followed by Lakshmi Chowk (78 mm) and Paniwala Talab (74 mm), as reported by Dawn. The rain came in two main spells: the first between 2:45 am and 5:40 am and a second, heavier burst from 10:45 am to 12:11 pm on Wednesday. Key locations, such as Jail Road (63mm), Qurtaba Chowk (68mm), and Wasa's Gulberg office (69mm), experienced significant waterlogging, with floodwaters mixed with sewage, creating a public health risk and making movement difficult for residents. This exposed Lahore's poor drainage, as reported by Dawn. A child was electrocuted at Yakki Gate due to exposed electrical wiring, and widespread power outages affected thousands as multiple Lesco feeders tripped across the city. Residents of areas like Mughalpura and Barki Road reported severe difficulties, with stagnant water blocking movement and little to no immediate help from authorities. Complaints surfaced that water removal efforts focused mainly on affluent neighbourhoods, leaving others stranded, the Dawn reported. Despite the Lahore Waste Management Company's claims of deploying cleaning crews and emptying thousands of waste containers, many citizens saw minimal improvement as low-lying areas such as Farrukhabad (49mm) and Johar Town (39mm) suffered the most due to inadequate drainage systems, the Dawn reported. Elsewhere in Punjab province, heavy rainfall was recorded in several districts over the past 24 hours, including Khanewal (51 mm), Rawalpindi (42 mm), Sahiwal (44 mm), Murree (41 mm), Okara (30 mm), and others. Several other cities, including Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, and Multan, also experienced downpours. According to Pakistan's emergency service, Rescue 1122, nine fatalities were reported in rain-related incidents across Punjab, the Dawn reported. Meanwhile, in Balochistan, heavy rain and strong winds caused fatalities and damage, with two people dead and another one injured in Khuzdar and Mastung districts, the Dawn reported. (ANI)
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