Monsoons: 18 injured in rain accidents

Met Office records 49 mm rain in the city and 25 mm at the airport.

LAHORE:

18 people were injured due to collapsing roofs, falling sign boards or electric shock during heavy rains on Saturday.

Heavy rains caused the roof of Muhamamd Ramazan’s house to collapse in Chuhng, trapping him, his wife and a son underneath the rubble. The neighbors pulled them out and took them to the hospital.

The roof of a shoe factory caved in on Bund Road, injuring three workers. Qari Barkat and his wife and sister-in-law were injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Raiwind City. Afzal and three memebrs of his family were injured in a similar accident in Burki. They were taken to a hospital where doctors said Afzal’s condition was critical.

Electric shock accidents were reported from Nawankot, Shahdara, and Iqbal Town.

The storm brought down many sign boards. Ehteshaam and his wife were injured on The Mall, Pervaiz in Race Course area and two other men in Cantt as a result.

‘Flooded with water’

Many city roads remained flooded with water following the fourth spell of monsoon rains on Saturday. Traffic at on the Mall Road, Canal Road and near Bhati Gate and Mozang moved at a very slow pace.

Heavy showers started around 12:40pm and continued for two hours. Met Office recorded 49 mm rain in the city and 25 mm at the airport.

Waseem Haider, a Model Town resident, said it took him more than two hours to drive home from Civil Secretariat. He said wardens appeared helpless in controlling traffic.

A Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) official said water from major roads and low-lying areas was cleared by 6pm. They said 28 trucks were used to clear rain water.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2011.