By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: At least 28 people were killed and 90 others injured in the past 24 hours as heavy monsoon rains and storms swept across Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, officials said on Wednesday, pushing the country’s death toll to nearly 150 since the rainy season began in late June.
The monsoon, which runs from late June to September, delivers up to 80 percent of South Asia’s annual rainfall, offering critical support for agriculture and water supplies while providing respite from the summer heat. Yet, it also unleashes deadly floods, landslides, and building collapses, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.
In the last 24 hours, roof collapses triggered by the downpours claimed 12 lives in Lahore, eight in Faisalabad, three in Sheikhupura, two in Okara, and one each in Pakpattan, Nankana Sahib, and Sahiwal, provincial rescue service spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said. “Those seriously injured in rain-related roof and wall collapses across Punjab were immediately transported to the hospital.”
Since the monsoon’s onset, nearly 150 people have died and hundreds more have been injured across Pakistan, disaster management authorities reported. In Punjab alone, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said 77 citizens have been killed and 214 injured this season, with 27 deaths and 46 injuries recorded in the past 24 hours.
The annual rains are a lifeline for millions of farmers and food security in Pakistan, but the deluge often overwhelms infrastructure. On Monday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had warned of a fresh wet spell from July 15 to July 17, noting that the death toll from rains and floods had reached 111 since June 26. With Wednesday’s fatalities in Punjab, that figure is nearing 150.
“Most deaths have been recorded due to roofs collapsing in dilapidated buildings and old houses,” said Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of the PDMA, urging residents to steer clear of fragile structures. “Citizens are requested to take precautionary measures in view of the rainy season … Citizens are urged not to stay in old mud houses under any circumstances.”
Government Response
The Punjab government has directed authorities to provide “the best possible medical aid” to the injured, while families of the deceased will receive financial assistance under provincial policy, the PDMA said. “The injured were being provided with the best medical assistance,” Kathia said, adding that support would also reach bereaved families.
The PDMA has issued stark warnings, advising parents to keep children away from electric wires, poles, and flooded low-lying areas. “Take care of children and never let them near electric wires, poles, or low-lying areas,” Kathia said. “By adopting precautionary measures, loss of life and property can be avoided.”
The agency also sounded the alarm over the Jhelum River, where “exceptionally high” flooding—between 350,000 and 450,000 cusecs of water, is expected upstream at Mangla. Associated nullahs (streams) could see high-level flooding within the next 24 hours, it added.
Rainfall data underscored the storm’s intensity: Sheikhupura recorded 217 millimeters in the past 24 hours, Okara 170mm, Sahiwal 80mm, Chichawatnicatni 130mm, Hafizabad 90mm, and Kasur 85mm. Lahore saw approximately 170mm, Faisalabad 60mm, Mandi Bahauddin 32mm, and Jhelum 29mm, with rains also drenching Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Mianwali, Multan, and other districts.
Pakistan, which accounts for less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, remains highly exposed to climate change impacts. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon flooding inundated a third of the country, affecting over 33 million people and causing more than $30 billion in damages, according to government estimates.
Forecasts predict more rain across Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Multan, DG Khan, and Bahawalpur divisions until July 17. “There is a possibility of heavy rains in the upper reaches of rivers, including Lahore,” a PDMA spokesperson said, noting that the agency’s provincial control room and district emergency operation centers are on high alert.
The PDMA warned of potential flooding in rivers and canals in low-lying areas and landslides in Murree’s mountainous terrain. “Tourists and travelers should be extremely cautious during the forecast period,” it said, urging citizens to call the PDMA helpline at 1129 in emergencies.
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