LAHORE: The first spell of monsoon continued lashing parts of Punjab, including the provincial metropolis, on Friday.

Lahore city had received 11mm rain, Murree 47mm, Gujrat 22mm, Hafizabad 35mm, Gujranwala 11mm, Bahawalnagar 3mm, Bahawalpur 2mm, Okara 18mm and Mandi Bahauddin 1mm.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued warnings of more rain and thunderstorms in the coming days, raising fears of further damage. Relief efforts are underway, with emergency helpline activated (1129) and district teams assessing the losses. The government advised citizens to stay alert for flash floods and avoid going near weak structures.

Meanwhile, the Lahore Waste Management Company’s (LWMC) operational teams have been actively engaged to drain water during the rain.

LWMC Chief Executive Officer Babar Sahib Din said maintaining proper drainage was a priority during the rain. The waste containers of the company were routinely cleared, and special instructions were given to remove shopping bags and wrappers from roads to facilitate water flow.

The teams were active to drain water on various important roads of the city, including Circular Road, Fort Road, Azam Cloth Market, Azadi Chowk and Noor Jahan Road, Liberty Market, Main Boulevard and MM Alam Road of Gulberg, the Mall Road, Jail Road, Alhamra and Governor House.

The LWMC CEO urged the public to support sanitation efforts by handing over garbage to the LWMC staff rather than disposing it of in the streets. He urged the citizens to report cleanliness-related issues by contacting the helpline 1139 or through social media.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2025