• Heavy rainfall exposes Lahore’s drainage system; city struggles with flooding, power outages
• KKH reopens for traffic but heatwave persists in GB; glacial melting, floods cause severe damage
LAHORE / GILGIT: At least 11 people lost their lives and many others sustained injuries as heavy monsoon rains lashed Lahore, its surrounding districts and some parts of Balochistan on Wednesday. The downpours caused widespread flooding and disrupted daily life in several areas.
In Lahore, the heavy rainfall submerged low-lying areas and major roads, exposing the city’s inadequate drainage infrastructure.
According to data from the Water and Sanitation Agency’s (Wasa) Monsoon Control Room, Lahore received an average of 58.8mm of rain, with some areas like Nishtar Town recording the highest 84mm, followed by Lakshmi Chowk (78mm) and Paniwala Talab (74mm).
The first spell of rain lashed the city from 2:45am to 5:40am, with a second, more intense downpour hitting between 10:45am and 12:11pm.
The heavy showers exposed the weaknesses in Lahore’s drainage system, with key areas such as Jail Road (63mm), Qurtaba Chowk (68mm) and Wasa Head Office in Gulberg (69mm) experiencing severe water accumulation. The rainwater mixed with sewage, creating a public health crisis as residents struggled to navigate flooded streets.
At Yakki Gate, a child was electrocuted by exposed wiring, while multiple Lesco feeders tripped across the city, leaving thousands without electricity for hours.
“We’ve been without power since the morning and the stagnant water is making it impossible to leave our homes,” said Rukhsana Bibi, a resident of Mughalpura, which received 60mm of rain.
Residents of Barki Road also faced immense difficulties in travelling. They complained that no machinery was sent to clear the water from the roads and streets until evening, with the Wasa and district administration focusing efforts on draining water only from “elite” areas.
Despite claims from the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) about deploying cleaning teams and clearing over 6,000 waste containers, citizens reported minimal improvements on the ground.
“The main roads are still submerged, and no one from the administration is here to help,” said Asif Mahmood, a shopkeeper at Lakshmi Chowk.
The situation was particularly dire in low-lying areas like Farrukhabad (49mm) and Johar Town (39mm), where drainage systems were virtually non-existent.
Monsoon rains also affected several other districts across Punjab in the last 24 hours. Khanewal recorded 51mm, Rawalpindi 42mm, Sahiwal 44mm, Murree 41mm, Okara 30mm, Mandi Bahauddin 27mm, Mangla 24mm, and Toba Tek Singh 13mm.
Other regions like Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Multan and Jhang also experienced downpours.
Deaths and injuries
According to Rescue 1122, nine people lost their lives and many others were injured in rain-related incidents across the province.
Two children died when the roof of their house collapsed due to the rain in Sheikhupura. Rescue teams also retrieved four people trapped under the rubble of a collapsed house in Pakpattan. In Jhelum valley, a cloudburst caused severe damage to houses and vehicles, while roads were destroyed.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more intense rainfall over the next 24 hours in Lahore and much of Punjab.
Irfan Ali Kathia, director general of Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), said the rains are expected to continue until July 13. Thunderstorms are likely on Thursday in Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujarat, Lahore and Hafizabad. The Punjab government has also imposed Section 144 around rivers and canals.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), water levels are expected to rise in the Kabul, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers, with low-level flooding likely at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa along the Indus.
Low-level flooding is also feared in Marala and Khanki on the Chenab River, and at Mangla on the Jhelum River. Tributaries of the Swat and Panjkora rivers may also experience flooding.
Heavy rainfall is expected to cause a significant rise in water flow in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, as well as in local streams in Jhal Magsi, Kachhi, Sibi, Qila Saifullah, Zhob and Musakhel districts in Balochistan.
Two people were killed and another injured in separate rain-related incidents in Balochistan’s Khuzdar and Mastung districts on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused a wall to collapse in Khuzdar, resulting in the death of a man named Muhammad Arif and injuring Ehsanullah.
In Bolan Colony in the Kanak area of Mastung, a tanker carrying LPG overturned on a person due to slippery roads caused by the rain. The victim, identified as Muhammad Yaqoob, was killed on the spot.
Glacial melting intensifies in GB
The current heatwaves have accelerated glacial melting across Gilgit-Baltistan, leading to widespread flooding and soil erosion that have disconnected roads, damaged homes, agriculture and disrupted power and water supplies in various areas.
Rising water levels in rivers and streams have put downstream communities at significant risk. According to the local administration, river erosion has severed links to the Hoper, Hisper and Nagar Khas areas on Thursday, with access roads submerged or washed away.
Flooding from the Supultar Nallah has once again damaged the RCC bridge and agricultural land in Tokorkot, while water from the Hamari Nallah and Supultar Nallah has cut off drinking and irrigation water supplies to most residents in Nagar Khas and Hoper.
The surge of glacial water near the Hamorkhay area has led to continued erosion, endangering homes in nearby villages. In Upper Hunza, rising water levels in the Khunjerab River have caused the destruction of power infrastructure, with two electricity poles submerged, cutting off the electricity supply to several villages in Gojal.
The situation has also affected irrigation and drinking water systems, crops and bridges, leaving the residents of Nagar and Hunza districts without essential services like water, electricity and road access.
In Gilgit, the increasing water levels in the Shigar River have damaged the K2 Road, leaving hundreds of residents and foreign tourists stranded. Officials said the melting Baltoro Glacier had rapidly increased the volume of water in nearby rivers and streams, further exacerbating the situation.
Flash floods in Babusar Valley, Chilas, also caused significant damage, with 10 homes destroyed and crops damaged. The Karakoram Highway, which had been blocked in Chilas, was reopened for traffic on Thursday, allowing thousands of stranded passengers, including tourists, to continue their journeys.
Rising water levels in the Jutal area in Gilgit have damaged homes and farmland, with many people living near rivers facing the imminent threat of flooding. Local officials have warned that the situation remains precarious, with many areas still without power, water and proper access routes.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA) expressed fears of a major water crisis in the region due to climate change, which is causing a decrease in snowfall and rapid melting of glaciers.
Geo-fenced SMS alerts
Meanwhile, Jazz and the NDMA have partnered to deliver geo-fenced SMS alerts to millions of citizens in flood-risk areas. The alerts, part of the Disaster Early Warning System (DEW-3), are designed to enhance public awareness and enable timely evacuations or precautionary measures in flood-prone areas.
Under the agreement, more than 23 million Jazz users residing in regions identified as vulnerable by the NDMA will receive location-based alerts, ensuring that citizens are informed of impending flood risks.
Kalbe Ali in Islamabad and Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2025
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