Rain lashes parts of Punjab for a second day, killing 17 and injuring 49

Several roof and wall collapses occurred across Punjab on Thursday as rain continued to batter parts of the province for a second consecutive day, causing at least 17 deaths and 49 injuries

According to a statement released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), four people, including three children, were killed in Lahore when the roof of a house near the Bandianwala bridge collapsed due to heavy rain in the city's Amar Sidhu area.

A wall of the Government Mozang Teaching Hospital, adjoining a neighbouring building, collapsed, injuring 14 people. They were taken to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

In Gujranwala, six people were killed when a "weak wooden structure" collapsed inside a three-storey house. In similar incidents, three people died in Chakwal and Sheikhupura while one person died in Jhang.

In multiple rain-related incidents, 32 people were severely injured across the province, the report said. “They are being moved to the hospital and receiving medical aid.” The PDMA said it was monitoring the situation from its provincial control room and in contact with the administration.

Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Monsoon Control Room in Lahore recorded 65 millimeters of rainfall in Nishtar Town director office, followed by 57 millimeters in Johar Town SDO office and 38 millimeters in Lakshmi Chowk. 3.5 millimeters of rainfall were recorded at Upper Mall, 5 millimeters at Mughalpura SDO, and 5.5 millimeters at the airport area.

Despite the fact that everything was under control today, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore that eight secretaries monitored one whole Wasa zone each. He said some ministers were assigned divisions to monitor, while others went to divisional headquarters.

A flood alert has been issued for the province, and the chief secretary chaired a meeting in the morning regarding this. The whole administration is working on it."

There were nine deaths across Punjab on Wednesday, due to electrocution, roof collapses, drownings, and lightning. CM Naqvi called the 291 millimetres of rainfall in Lahore a "record".

In the same vein, Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa pointed out that such a large amount of rain had not been observed in such a short period of time in over 30 years. As a Met Office official, who did not wish to be named, disputed Wasa's "record-breaking" claim, calling it "self-serving" since the agency had been given more time and resources to clear the city of water.

Drainage work is reviewed by Wasa MD

Wasa Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed reviewed drainage operations at several Lahore underpasses, including the Captain Mubeen Shaheed Underpass, as well as the provincial capital's roads earlier today. According to him, all disposal stations are operating at full capacity and fuel supply is being assured for all generators draining floodwater.

According to the Punjab Chief Secretary's office, Zahid Akhtar Zaman was "present on the field to review water drainage preparations".

Zaman visited "various roads and the Kalma Chowk underpass", and he directed all officers to remain on the field as well. The chief secretary also directed department secretaries to assess underpasses and disposal stations.

The statement quoted Zaman as saying that special measures should be taken to keep traffic flowing, and that more pumps should be installed to drain water from low-lying areas.

Floods, flash floods, and landslides are predicted in urban areas

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a weather forecast this morning: “Heavy rain may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan [...] from July 6-8.”

A weather warning issued by PMD's Regional Meteorological Centre for Lahore says, "There is a risk of land sliding and flash flooding in vulnerable areas of Punjab and Kashmir due to heavy rainfall."

During July 5-9, there is also a risk of urban flooding in Punjab's major cities (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore, Faisalabad, Jhang, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan).

The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority also issued a flood alert yesterday warning of a "very high to exceptionally high flood situation from July 8 to 10".

According to a PMD alert, "widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the upper catchments of rivers Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, and up to some extent, River Jhelum."

"These meteorological conditions will cause very high to exceptionally high level flooding in River Chenab," it warned, noting that the "flood situation in rivers Ravi and Sutlej will be determined by the release of Indian water".

Further, it predicted that "high to very high-level floods are expected in the nullas of River Ravi and Chenab" and urged citizens to take precautionary measures to avoid any untoward developments.