LAHORE: Three persons, including two children, were killed and 67 others injured in various areas of the city during heavy dust storm and rain on Tuesday evening.

Lahore and its suburban areas experienced a heavy dust storm followed by rain just before Iftar. The gusty winds turned the weather pleasant in the provincial capital. The gusts were so strong that several trees were uprooted and windowpanes of a few buildings shattered.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, a building collapsed near Khara Chowk in Raiwind killing an eight-year-old child. Another child died and three other people were injured when a building in Pollarwan Pind in Paragon City collapsed. The injured were shifted to Services Hospital where they were said to be stable.

67 injured in rain-related incidents

A building also collapsed near Dosaku Chowk Grand Place Marriage Hall killing an unidentified man aged around 58 years and injuring three others. The injured were shifted to Shahdara Hospital.

Rescue 1122 officials claimed that 52 road accidents had taken place across the city with 59 people suffering minor injuries owing to low visibility. Most of the accidents involved motorcycles.

Separately, two people were injured when a tree fell on their moving vehicle on Canal Road near Doctors Hospital. The vehicle was damaged and the tree also ended up blocking the road.

The dust storm and rain also resulted in fires erupting in various areas of the city, including a garbage plot in Khayaban-i-Amin near Ring Road, fruit market in Gajjumata, wood waste in Raiwind Markaz on Sundar Road, a house in Bilal Town, Raiwind LDA avenue and a rice warehouse in Burj village near BRB Canal. However, no loss of life or injury was reported in the fire incidents.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2018