GUJRAT: Over 500mm rain in 20 hours paralysed life in city on Wednesday, causing an ‘unprecedented’ urban flooding.

According to Gujrat Municipal Corporation data, 507mm incessant rain starting at 10pm on Tuesday night continued until evening on Wednesday, suspending all academic and trade activities and flooding main city roads.

People found it hard to reach the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital (ABSTH) and other private health facilities along Bhimbher Road.

The highest level of urban flooding was 45 inches at Jalalpur Jattan Road near the Zahoor Elahi Cricket Stadium and Jail Chowk, whereas it was 41 inches in Ghareepura Road and adjoining localities and 39 inches at Jinnah Road and Prince Chowk. It was still raining at the time of filing this report at 6pm.

Eight villages on Gujrat city outskirts, particularly Mehmda, Madina and Loraiy, also submerged.

The situation in Railway Road, Sargodha Road, Court Road, Circular Road and Rehman Shaheed Road was badly affected by the urban flooding.

The rainwater also entered in residential buildings, causing a great deal of inconvenience to citizens. Markets and shops could not be opened in most of the commercial areas whereas Shadman Colony was also submerged.

The sanitary staff of Gujrat MC remained busy in draining out water.

Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Nurulain Qureshi along with other senior officials of the district administration visited various parts of the city to inspect flooding and relief efforts.

The DC also deputed Assistant Commissioners of Sara-i-Alamgir Farooq-i-Azam and Kharian AC Ahmed Sher Gondal to perform the flood duty in Gujrat tehsil.

Gujrat AC Bilal Zubair remained deputed at the Marala headworks to execute relief and evacuation operations in the villages of that area.

The DC visited the flood-affected areas along Chenab river and got evacuated dozens of the families and livestock trapped in the fresh flooding near Jalalpur Jattan and other villages.

District Police Officer Rana Umar Farooq also remained busy in the flood-affected areas where cops participated in the evacuation and relief operations on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025