Windstorm wreaks havoc in Punjab

Published April 16, 2019
Lightning during storm and rain on Monday night. — White Star
Lightning during storm and rain on Monday night. — White Star

LAHORE: A minor girl died while 24 other people, including seven women and six children, were injured after roofs and walls of many buildings collapsed in separate incidents in the provincial capital due to massive rain followed by strong wind late on Monday.

A police official said 11 people were injured after the wall of a building collapsed on Amir Road in Shadbagh. Four children - Tania (8), Khurram (7), Azhar (5) and Shujat (10) - were among the injured. Of them, Tania breathed her last while condition of two others was stated to be serious.

Similarly, six people including four of a family got trapped under the debris when the building caved-in on Multan Road near Mansoora.

The rescue 1122 teams dispatched to deal the emergency launched operation and shifted them to a local hospital.

They were identified as Asif (14), Aziz (16), Alam (17), Farhat Bibi (21), Ashiq Ali (25) and Riaz Ahmad (30).

All were members of a family, the police said, adding that the condition of two of them was stated to be serious.

In yet another roof-collapse incident, three members of a family including Muqadas (8), Sadia (16) and Rafia (30) were injured after roof of their house collapsed in Kahna area.

BAHAWALPUR: Three labourers were killed and many others sustained injuries in the wall collapse of a cotton factory due to the windstorm of high intensity in Hasilpur.

The Multan Electric Power Company officials said a number of feeders of both Baghdadul Jadid and Bahawalpur grid stations tripped. The rain created a sinkhole in the under-ground sewerage pipe line in Satellite Town.

MUZAFFARGARH: Hailstorm and windstorm damaged the wheat crop leaving farmers worried about their losses and delay in cultivation of cotton crops. Farmers appealed to federal and provincial governments to get their losses assessed. They said they were cultivating cotton on time but rain would first delay wheat harvesting and ensuing cotton seed sowing. A few farmers said they were in the process of sowing and their effort was wasted.

On Monday evening, rain continued for two hours and suspended electricity supply in the district.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Rain with hailstorm claimed one life besides wreaking havoc on ready to harvest standing crop of wheat. Ghulam Yaseen, a resident of Noor Ahmed Wali near Triman Check Post, was killed when the roof of his living room caved in. Relief camps are being established for flood victims in trans Indus districts.

According to flood monitoring cells, flows of hill torrents are normal but may increase in the next two days.

TOBA TEK SINGH: During heavy windstorm and rain a mud wall fell in a house in Ali Park locality of Gojra on Gojra-Samundri Road, as a result house owner Muhammad Mansha died and six of his family members were injured critically. Rescue 1122 ambulance shifted them to Gojra THQ hospital.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2019

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