SIALKOT: Daylong widespread torrential rain lashed several parts of Punjab on Wednesday killing six people in Sialkot and Gujrat and injuring 20 others elsewhere.

In Sialkot district, four persons, including two minors and two linemen of the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco), were killed and six others, including five children, injured seriously in two roof collapse incidents.

In Dhillum Ballagun village, Sambrial tehsil, cousins Hassan Dilshad, 5, and Asma Rafi, 12, were sleeping in the room when its wall collapsed during the rain, killing both of them on the spot. Rescue 1122 personnel pulled out their bodies from the debris.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Asif Tufail said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced Rs500,000 for the grieved families.

Gepco linemen Arif and Ashfaq were electrocuted while repairing a transformer during the rain in Khuraney village near Kingra, Pasrur tehsil. Their colleague Aslam received critical burns and was admitted to hospital.

In Khanpur Syedan village, Pasrur tehsil, Haleema Bibi and her five minor children were injured seriously when the roof of their room collapsed. They were admitted to the Pasrur THQ Civil Hospital in critical condition.

The Met office recorded 123mm of rainfall in the Cantt area and 110mm on the airport side that began early morning and continued all day with intermittent thunder. Most parts of Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur were inundated, paralysing civic, business, trade and social lives. Low-lying urban and rural areas were also inundated.

Some people got out of their houses to enjoy much-needed respite from the hot and humid weather with wind blowing all day. The widespread rain also sounded an alarm for flood in these areas, exposing poor performance of tehsil municipal administrations to drain rainwater.

Three to four feet of rainwater and sewage inundated most areas and all main roads. Water also entered houses and factories in the Small Industrial Estate.

In Daska city, walls of the Govt Boys Degree College and General Post Office collapsed. The decades-old sewerage and drainage lines were choked and overflowing in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur. Electricity and telecommunication lines were damaged due to which power remained suspended for several hours and electric motors meant to pump out water could not function.

The Met office forecast more widespread heavy rain in the region and all catchment areas of neighbouring India-held Kashmir.

A low-level flood was reported in River Chenab at Head Marala, as the flow of water soared due to the ongoing fresh spell of torrential monsoon rains.

According to the District Flood Control Room officials, water level rose to 147,072 cusecs in the Chenab. The flow was 18,427 cusecs in River Tavi near Head Marala. Water level rose to 26,888 cusecs in Nullah Dek near Chahoor in Pasrur tehsil.

DCO Tufail reviewed flood preventive arrangements made by the district administration in collaboration with Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). He claimed the flood situation was under control.

In Daska, the Govt Maternity Health Clinic was inundated with three to four feet high rainwater and sewage. Expectant women and even the medical staff and paramedics were unable to visit the clinic due to stagnant water.

There was no drainage system in sight at this sole government maternity facility in Daska. The outer walls of the clinic had also collapsed previously due to rains after which locals had turned its lawn into a dump.

GUJRAT: Two girls -- Beena Maryam, 10, and Razia Bibi, 9 were killed when the wall of their house collapsed during downpour in Banian village near Kotla.

DCO Liaquat Ali Chattha and PML-N MPA Shabeer Kotla visited the aggrieved family and attended funeral prayers of the deceased. Parents of both girls were given Rs500,000 each on behalf of the chief minister.

Meanwhile, the drainage system collapsed after 158mm of rain in the city that lasted till 10:30am. Roads, residential areas, government offices and other low-lying areas were submerged and a good number of vehicles stalled.

Locals remained busy all day draining out water from their houses. A senior district government official told Dawn that since the old storm water drains built by the British had been covered with roads on Shah Hussain drain and Chah Tarehng drain in 2010-11, the drainage system had worsened.

DCO Chattha, MPA Haji Imran Zafar and TMA Administrator Irfan Ali Kathia along with other officials of the civic authority visited various areas and five disposal stations for inspection.

GUJRANWALA: Torrential rainfall resulted in accumulation of three-foot deep water in most areas of the city. Power transmission lines and six feeders were damaged causing suspension of supply in various parts following a record 199mm of rain in the district, according to the flood control room. More than 15 people were injured in incidents of roof collapse.

Dark clouds hovered over the city as heavy rain with thunder lasted six hours. Roads, streets and parks were submerged and underpasses clogged with rainwater.

Residents of low-lying areas complained their houses were filled with water and the electric disposal closed due to electricity outage.

Mehreen, Najma, Akbar, Ahmed Jamal, Adil, Shaukat and others were injured in roof collapse incidents across the region. Cars, motorcycles and other vehicles were stuck. Rescue teams found it difficult to shift the injured to hospitals as roads were submerged in water.

Assistant Commissioner Noorish Sabah told Dawn heavy machinery was being used to clear the roads and Gepco teams were repairing feeders. Met office predicted rains in scattered areas of Gujranwala division. Levels of rivers and canals touched up to 141,889 cusecs.

DCO Muhammad Aamir Jan while visiting parts of the city told Dawn the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) had been directed to use de-watering pumps and sucker machines in affected areas. Wasa Managing Director Khalid Bashir Butt visited the city during the rain and inspected sanitary work.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2016