17 die as heavy rains batter Punjab

Several city areas plunge into darkness due to power failure

LAHORE:

At least 17 people lost their lives in rain-related accidents as heavy downpour wreaked havoc across Punjab.

Four members of a family were killed when the roof of a house collapsed in Harbanspura area. Two people were killed on Muridke Road, Sheikhupura and seven others were injured in an incident of roof collapse. Another incident of roof collapse in Phalia area of Mandi Bahauddin claimed lives of at least five people including a woman and four children. Reportedly, three labourers died after a landslide in a coal mine in Qasba Bhal due to the rain. At least two people died in Faisalabad and Sialkot from rain-related electrocution.

Heavy monsoon shower also lashed Lahore on late Wednesday night and inundated several roads and streets of the provincial capital. Heavy rain and water ponding disrupted the routine life and caused immense difficulties for commuters.

Several citizens complained about rainwater entering into their houses and offices. The heavy downpour also caused overflowing of Lahore Canal and flooded the Canal Road, a major artery that connects several areas of the city. It also flooded the underpasses, especially the Muslim Town Underpass, which is also known as the Gulzar Underpass.

The rainwater also caused traffic jams in most areas. Huge water ponding was witnessed in Township, Johar Town, Bund Road, China Scheme, Iqbal Town, Gulberg, Garden Town, Baghbanpura, Lakshmi Chowk, Sarwar Road, Barket Market and other areas of the city.

Roads around Lakshmi Chowk, Napier Chowk, Etherton Chowk, Durand Chowk, Davis Chowk, Askari 9, Saddar, Church Chowk, Aik Moriya, Kashmiri Gate, Shimla Hill, Mughal Chowk, and Taj Bagh Chowk were also inundated with rainwater. Citizens were urged to drive carefully with reasonable speed and distance. The Lahore CTO directed the on-duty wardens to ensure a smooth flow of traffic regardless of the weather.

Official reports showed that the highest rainfall in a day of 189mm was recorded at Lakshmi Chowk between 12:12am and 8:15am. It shows that most areas of the metropolis received over 100mm of rainfall. The data shows that in Tajpura 176mm rainfall was recorded, Farrukabad 158mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 160mm, Samanabad 153mm, Nishtar Town 164mm, Johar Town 106mm, Jail Road 118, Airport 97mm, Upper Mall 141mm, Mughalpura 84 and Punjab University 130mm.

Pakistan Meteorological Department’s data shows that the highest rainfall of 332.5mm was recorded on July 7, 1980, recorded at the weather station of Lahore Airport.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast showed that more heavy rains in the city are expected during the next two days. It predicted strong monsoon currents were penetrating Pakistan that will also produce widespread rains during the next three to four days in the country.

Rain also caused the suspension of power supply to several neighbourhoods as dozens of feeders of the power utility company went offline. Several areas of the metropolis plunged into darkness owing to power system failure.

Expressing displeasure accumulation of rainwater in the metropolis and other cities of the province, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar directed officials concerned to drain the rainwater.

The chief minister contacted the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) officials and district the administration from Islamabad and directed them to remain in the field. “All resources should be utilised to drain the rainwater and no negligence will be tolerated in this regard,” he warned.

“Why prior arrangements were not made and stagnant water was not removed for many hours as rains were expected,” he remarked.

He directed the WASA administration to give special attention to the removal of water from main roads as well as link roads. “The officials concerned should complete the task under their supervision as stagnant water has disturbed the routine life. There is no room for any negligence and removal of water requires immediate action.”

Meanwhile, he expressed a deep sense of sorrow over the loss of lives in different rain-related accidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2020.