Lahore storm claims four lives

As many as 15 wounded in different incidents

LAHORE: At least four people, including two minors, were killed in different incidents caused by a dust storm followed by heavy showers late on Tuesday in the provincial capital. This was revealed by rescue officials who said 17 individuals were also wounded in different city areas.

The storm also broke the prolonged heat spell in the provincial capital on Tuesday

Winds, blowing at over 100 kilometres per hour, uprooted trees and brought down several electricity poles. The treacherous winds also broke the windows of several buildings across Lahore.

The extreme weather caused power outages in areas such as Garhi Shahu, Dharampur, Davis Road, Allama Iqbal Road, Harbanspura, Township and Green Town.

Citizens stood outside Lahore Electric Supply Company’s (LESCO) offices in order to have their power restored. However, no official was present in the office.

The storm also damaged two aircrafts parked at the Allama Iqbal International Airport and disrupted air traffic operations. The planes belonged to Pakistan International Airlines and have been grounded for a detailed safety inspection, stated a spokesperson for the airline.

Moderate rains, winds lash parts of Punjab

Strong winds, with moderate showers, hit several districts of Punjab early on Wednesday. The rainfall made the weather take a turn for the better and significantly dropped the temperature. However, rain related injuries were also reported from different areas of the province.

Strong winds hit the cities of Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad and other areas, followed by a downpour which helped reduce the temperature.



Most people seemed happy as it was a relief from the scorching heat. A large number of people came out of their homes as soon as the rain started to enjoy the weather.

The cool breeze and light rain provided relief to people from the sizzling and dry weather which has continued for the last many days. The weather also brought with it various diseases such as gastro, jaundice, flu, influenza, sore throat and others.

However, the light rain provided relief to farmers who called it a blessing for their crops.

However, rainwater accumulated on streets and roads, disrupting the flow of traffic. Many feeders also tripped and resulted in power outages in several districts or their adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, the local meteorological office has forecast cloudy weather with more rains over the next few days.

Across the country, met officials predicted intense heat which will not end till the second week of June when pre-monsoon rains are set to begin and bring the temperature down by two to four degrees.

Earlier, while speaking to The Express Tribune, Met Office Spokesperson Khalid Mahmood Malik said “This year, Pakistan is experiencing the hottest summer as compared to previous years. Temperature remained two to three degrees above normal.”

He added chances are high that pre-monsoon will begin by the end of the second week of June (from the 10th onwards). The spokesperson continued that the country will have two to three spells of decent showers will bring respite from the intense heat.

He said it is also expected to rain during the last few days of Ramzan despite the fact that the rest of the month has been dry, thus far. “There are good chances that it may rain in most parts of the country during Eid holidays,” he said.

Malik further said that in 2018, the southern half of the country experienced slightly higher temperatures compared to the north. “Therefore, due to this difference in temperatures, it is expected that the country will have good pre-monsoon rains after mid-June,” he pointed out.

He said that it is also expected that pre-monsoon showers in catchment areas will help to improve water levels in Mangla and Tarbela dams, the two major water reservoirs of the country, which have already reached a dead level.