LAHORE : At least seven people were killed while 39 others got injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab.
Earlier, a heavy pre-monsoon rain lashed vast swathes of the country, including provincial capital Lahore, in the wee hours of Thursday, bringing much needed relief from muggy weather and claiming lives in different incident.
In Okara, in the suburban settlement of Riazabad near Bangla Gogera, a roof collapsed due to rain, killing a child and injuring two others. The dead child has been identified as Dua Fatima. The injured include seven-year-old Mehwish and six-year-old Iram.
According to rescue officials, teams arrived at the scene and, with the help of locals, pulled the children from the debris.
In another incident, in the suburban village of Talwandi near Kasur, two children were seriously injured when a roof collapsed due to heavy rain. The children were rescued immediately and taken to s nearby hospital.
In Hujra Shah Muqeem, the roofs of three houses on Attari Road collapsed. Fortunately, no loss of life was reported.
In Lahore, heavy rain was reported in Garhi Shahu, Qila Gujjar Singh, The Mall, Ferozepur Road, Model Town, Township, Canal Road, Harbanspura, Kahna, Jallo Mor, Taj Bagh and other areas.
The rain disrupted Lahore Electric Supply Company’s (LESCO) transmission system, leaving dozens of feeders tripped, leading to power outages.
The WASA (Water and Sanitation Agency) staff has been put on alert on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
In the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, intermittent rain continued. Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Sangla Hill, Pakpattan, Toba Tek Singh, Hujra Shah Muqeem, Khushab, Joharabad, and surrounding areas also received rain, flooding low-lying areas were flooded.
Clouds also burst over Murree and Azad Kashmir, with rainfall reported in Malam Jabba, Kalam, and other cities. In Abbottabad, the rain caused flooding in streams, and landslides in upper areas blocked main highways, leaving many tourists stranded.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for storms and rain for the next 12 to 24 hours.
