10 killed as downpour inundates Punjab cities
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LAHORE: At least 10 persons were killed as heavy rain drenched cities across Punjab on Thursday, according to rescue officials and the provincial disaster management authority.
Some districts in south Punjab were also hit by a strong windstorm. The weather brought much-needed relief after weeks of sweltering heat where temperatures increased to record levels.
Rescue 1122 said it provided emergency services to 46 people in the last 24 hours, out of which 39 were hospitalised. Seven died in these emergencies.
The most number of emergencies, eight, were reported in Okara, four in Multan, two each in Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang and Chiniot and one each in Lahore, Kasur, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar and Khanewal.
Two persons each died in Jhelum and Muzaffargarh and one each in Okara, Bahawalnagar and Khanewal.
According to details, a 5-year-old girl, identified as Dua Fatima, died when a bamboo roof collapsed in Basti Riazabad in Okara.
Two persons were also injured.
In Jhelum, two persons died after a loader rickshaw fell into a storm drain on an inundated road.
In Muzaffargarh, two people died when a wall of a house collapsed, burying them underneath the rubble. In Kasur, two girls died in a roof collapse, while one person died in a similar accident in Bahawalnagar.
Two farmers were killed by a lightning strike while working in fields in Khanewal and Toba Tek Singh.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has also issued a report on the damage caused by rains in different districts of Punjab during the past 24 hours.
According to the report, the highest rainfall was recorded in Faisalabad’s GMA Town area (98 mm) and Madina Town (91 mm). The rest of the city recorded 90 mm of rain.
In Lahore, Nishtar Town recorded 50mm of rain, Airport 24 mm, while the rest of the city recorded 15mm of rain. Kasur recorded 63mm, Sheikhupura 50mm, Joharabad 48mm, Sargodha 45mm, Chakwal 28mm, Chiniot 22mm, Rawalpindi 18mm, Narowal 17mm, Attock 12mm, Gujrat and Mianwali 10mm, Muzaffargarh and Nurpur Thal 5mm, Mangla and Sialkot 2mm, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Rawalakot 1mm.
Urban flooding
The heavy downpour resulted in urban flooding which crippled life in cities like Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad.
The water submerged underpasses and low-lying neighbourhoods.
In Lahore’s Nishtar Town, continuous rainfall caused flooded roads, leading to traffic jams and power outages.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia has said families of the deceased will be compensated and assisted under the government policy.
He further said that this spell of monsoon rains will continue till July 1. Citizens have been requested to take precautionary measures.
Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman has directed all relevant government departments to be on high alert to deal with potential urban flooding.
In a meeting at the Civil Secretariat, the chief secretary reviewed precautionary measures being taken to address urban flooding.
All deputy commissioners virtually attended the meeting.
Mr Zaman emphasised the importance of putting safety arrangements in place and asked the officers to ensure regular cleaning of drains and sewerage lines.
He said rainwater should be immediately drained from low-lying areas. All dewatering pumps and other machinery must be kept operational to enable swift emergency responses.
Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2025
