TOBA TEK SINGH / OKARA / SARGODHA: A man died and five others were injured, while farmers reported losses to crops and citizens faced blackouts in rain-related incidents on Saturday and Sunday.

In one incident, a man died and another was critically injured when a dilapidated wall fell on them in a furniture workshop during a windstorm and heavy rain in Chak 564 GB in Peeranwala of Jaranwala tehsil.

The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Ashraf (59), while Muhammad Riaz was critically wounded and shifted to the Jaranwala THQ Hospital after a windstorm and heavy rainfall on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, four members of a family were critically injured when the dilapidated roof of their house caved in on Sunday evening in Chak 321 GB of Pirmahal tehsil due to rain.

Rescue 1122 shifted the injured, identified as Nasim Bibi (35), Saeed Manzoor (45), Perveen Nawaz (26) and Fazeelat Nawaz (16), to the Pirmahal THQ Hospital.

In Okara, farmers reported heavy losses to crops ready for harvest. Farmers said that sugar cane and maize fields, fodder crops and potatoes cultivated just a few days ago had been damaged. The Saturday night thunderstorm fell dozens of tree on roads and many were uprooted, causing damage to power lines. Electricity was restored in several areas after seven hours.

Similarly, heavy rain in Sargodha city and its surroundings caused flash floods, disrupting the sanitation system and electricity outages were also reported in many areas. Residents also complained of gas supply disruptions in the early hours of Sunday.

Heavy rain was also recorded in Faisalabad with the highest recorded on Jail Road with 42mm rainfall. Gulistan Colony received 36mm and Ghulam Muhammad Abad 35mm rainfall.

Wasa MD Sohail Qadir Cheema, in a statement, said that Wasa operations staff took immediate steps for the drainage of rainwater on an emergency basis. In this regard, he said that dewatering sets were made operational and rainwater was completely drained in a short time. He further said that Jail Road, Lasani Puli Sargodha Road, Sheikhupura Road, Samundari Road, Mandi Mor, Jhang Road, Minerva Club Road and Chenab Chowk had been declared clear of rainwater. Drainage was also completed in time from Satiana Road, Jaranwala Road, Chaudhry Flour Mills Chowk and Iqbal Stadium, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2025