- Various low-lying areas, roads submerged in rainwater, 177 Lesco feeders tripped
- Authorities prepared as Met Office forecasts more rain in metropolis during the next 24
LAHORE: Record-breaking monsoon downpour on Friday lashed various cities of Punjab, including Lahore, with the provincial metropolis logging an unprecedented 315 millimetres rain, breaking a 30-year-old record and submerging various low-lying areas in rainwater.
The Met Office has forecast more rain in the metropolis during the next 24 hours while the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has alerted the relevant departments to the possible urban flooding due to heavy rains across various cities of the province, including Lahore.
Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Muhammad Ghufran confirmed that the fresh spell had indeed broken a 30-year-old record, with the Tajpura area recording 315 mm of rain. Last year, 291 mm of rain was recorded at the city’s Lakshmi Chowk, which received 170 mm of rain this year.
Ghufran stated that WASA staff was active in the field, continuously monitoring the situation. “The water has been removed from Lakshmi Chowk and other areas are also being cleared. Soon the city will be cleared of rainwater,” he said.
Other neighborhoods experienced significant rainfall as well: Pani Wala Talab received 151 mm, Qurtuba Chowk 152 mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 151 mm, Mughalpura 145 mm, Airport 86 mm, Upper Mall 130 mm, Samanabad 153 mm, Iqbal Town 152 mm, Gulberg Town 105 mm, Chowk Nakhuda 155 mm, Nishter Town 162 mm, Jail Road 69 mm, and Farrukhabad 140 mm.
PDMA ISSUES INSTRUCTIONS
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia instructed all deputy commissioners and relevant departments across the province to prepare for emergencies.
He noted that the provincial control rooms and district emergency operation centres should remain on high alert, saying the PDMA’s control room was monitoring the rain situation 24/7.
پنجاب بھر میں مون سون کی موسلا دھار بارشیں!
پنجاب میں 15 جولائی تک مون سون کا سپیل جاری رہے گا
ڈی جی پی ڈی ایم اے پنجاب عرفان علی کاٹھیا کی صوبے بھر کی انتظامیہ کو الرٹ کی ہدایات!#pdma #ndma #govtofpunjab #govtofpakistan #cheifminister #cmoffice @MaryamNSharif pic.twitter.com/PEfMDGNBZn— PDMA Punjab Official (@PdmapunjabO) July 12, 2024
The PDMA DG directed the Rescue 1122 and other rescue agencies to keep machinery and staff on standby and ensure quick drainage of water from low-lying areas.
Despite the rains, the water flow in Punjab’s rivers, including the Chenab, Ravi, Jhelum, and Sutlej, remains normal.
However, the PDMA has issued a flood warning for Chenab River at Marala, indicating the possibility of moderate to high flooding and hill torrents in DG Khan division.
Other regions, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several areas in the province, also received heavy rainfall, causing problems for the residents.
Areas such as Nikyal and Barnala in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sargodha, and Pakpattan also experienced heavy showers, leading to power outages in various locations.
People encountered immense trouble as rainwater accumulated in numerous areas, including Rawalpindi’s Dhok Kashmirian, Sadiqabad, and Dhok Kala Khan, as well as Lahore’s Devis Road, Nisbat Road, Gawalmandi, Krishan Nagar, Rajgarh, Mazang, Achara, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Gulberg, Mughalpura, Wasanpura, Badami Bagh, and Shahdara.
The Wasa managing director stated that staff was deployed for water drainage in low-lying areas, and arrangements were complete in view of potential flooding in Lai Nullah in Rawalpindi.
177 LESCO FEEDERS TRIPPED
Similarly, 177 feeders operated by Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) tripped due to the heavy rainfall, causing widespread power outages across the operation area of the power distribution company.
According to the Lesco officials, significant disruptions in power supply were reported from 120 feeders in Lahore, 15 feeders in Kasur circle and 10 in the Nankana circle.
The Sheikhupura circle also experienced interruptions in power supply from 26 feeders, while the Okara circle reported disruptions from 6 feeders.
In response to the emergency situation, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed the local administration and Wasa authorities to take immediate measures to drain rainwater in all cities, including Lahore.
The Punjab CM instructed staff and officers to visit vulnerable areas and remain in the field until the rainwater was completely drained out. She also directed Rescue 1122 and other departments to prepare for an emergency situation in advance.
“Work on drainage of main arteries and low-lying areas should continue uninterruptedly. Emergency measures are required to deal with the situation created in various cities because of continuous rain,” she said.
Maryam emphasized that rainwater should not be accumulated in streets and markets, while the traffic police should clear roads for smooth follow of vehicular traffic.
KARACHI WEATHER
Meanwhile, Karachi is likely to receive drizzle or light rain today (Friday) evening or tonight, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The PMD forecast that the weather is expected to remain comparatively pleasant after the metropolis endured a long spell of heatwave. Recent intermittent showers have already made a difference.
The sky is expected to remain partly cloudy during the next 24 hours, with strong winds likely to blow. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 30°C, with humidity at 76%. The mercury might rise to a maximum of 33-35°C during the day.
Sea breezes were blowing at a speed of 27 to 32 kilometres an hour. Additionally, heavy rains are predicted for Karachi after July 20, which could fulfill the Karachiites’ desire to break free from the hot weather.
