LAHORE, July 17: Four persons died of electrocution while dozens others were injured in rain-related accidents, including collapsing of scores of mud houses on Thursday as rain lashed several cities of the Punjab. Some 50 mud houses were reported to have been levelled in Vehari alone.

Two persons were electrocuted in Sheikhupura while eight others suffered burns as a result of electric shock. In Lahore, a 22-year old girl and a hotel employee were also electrocuted.

Heavy rain, which lasted for about 45 minutes in Lahore, caused the drainage system to overflow, turning streets into streams.

The rain also disrupted flight operations besides causing power breakdowns in many of the city’s localities.

Traffic congestion, which began as soon as the rain started, lasted several hours after the rain. The city government officials were still struggling to clear the rainwater with additional staff and machinery till the filing of this report.

The meteorological office said that central areas of Lahore had received 84.2mm of rain while those around the airport received 71mm, mainly between 9am till 12 noon.

The weather was still cloudy and the Met office predicted more rain in the Punjab, the NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan during the next 24 hours.