By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: At least nine people were killed and six injured in central Punjab province on Wednesday as heavy rain lashed the region, officials said.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said seven of the deaths occurred in Lahore, the provincial capital, where three people were electrocuted, three died when their roofs collapsed, and one drowned in the rainwater. Another person drowned in Layyah district, and a youth was killed by lightning in Kasur district near the border with India, the PDMA said.
The rain, which began before dawn and lasted until afternoon, also caused widespread power outages and disrupted traffic in Lahore and other parts of the province. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) said the rainfall broke a 30-year record, with some areas receiving more than 200 millimeters (8 inches) of rain.
Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi tweeted: “291 millimeters of rain and seven deaths since morning.” The chief minister said he was monitoring the situation, adding that all Punjab government cabinet members and administration officials were in the field to clear the water.
The Meteorological Department warned of more rain in the next three days, which could affect both the upper and lower parts of the province. “One spell, which might be milder than one that befell on Wednesday morning, is expected to visit the city tonight or Thursday morning. However, the next two days – Friday and Saturday – can be equally disastrous if not more,” Met director Shahid Abbas said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the provincial government to take urgent measures and mobilize rescue teams to protect citizens’ lives. He also instructed the National Disaster Management Authority and other federal departments to extend maximum support to the Punjab government, if required.
Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (Met) earlier this week warned that heavy monsoon rains would lash Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, and other cities of the country. The weather department said the country’s low-lying areas were at risk of flooding while its northern areas could experience landslides.
The melting of glaciers and heavy monsoon rains last year triggered flash floods across Pakistan, killing over 1,700 people and destroying large swathes of crops. Critical infrastructure in many parts of the country was damaged, with Pakistan estimating losses to be around $30 billion.
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