Heavy monsoon rains wreaked havoc in Lahore, the provincial capital, with a whopping 203mm of rainfall bringing life to a standstill. During the rain, two teenage boys aged 14 and 11 drowned in different areas of the city, and another person was injured when a roof collapsed in the Raiwand area.
The downpour caused low-lying areas to be inundated, with the airport area experiencing the highest rainfall at 205mm. The torrential showers lasted for about 6 hours and 45 minutes, causing rainwater to enter Jinnah Hospital and General Hospital.
Punjab’s interim Chief Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, commended the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the district administration for their efforts in clearing 95% of the waterlogged areas in the city. Despite their efforts, at least 70 feeders of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) tripped, leading to power outages in several areas.
The heavy rainfall also resulted in the collapse of the outer wall of Noor Jahan’s tomb. The Walled City Authority took over the responsibility of the tomb from the Department of Archeology a month ago and plans to preserve the damaged parts of the historic site.
Due to monsoon currents and a westerly trough affecting the upper parts of the country, the Met Office warned of the possibility of urban flooding in low-lying areas of Lahore and other upper regions in the coming days.
In response to the situation, the interim CM visited various areas of Lahore, instructing the city administration and WASA to quickly drain the rainwater and increase the number of dewatering pumps. He also ordered efforts to keep traffic flowing smoothly and address the problems faced by citizens.
