Punjab govt highlights ‘dewatering efforts’ as rain causes flooding, casualties

WEB DESK:  The Punjab government has maintained that its drainage system performed effectively during the latest monsoon spell, despite deaths, widespread waterlogging and infrastructure damage being reported across the province.

Provincial Minister Bilal Yasin said the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) had performed “exceptionally well” during the rainfall and ensured the timely drainage of water from low-lying areas. He said heavy rain had been recorded in Sialkot, Gujrat, Okara and Gujranwala, while Lahore and several other cities received around 250 millimetres of rain.

According to Yasin, major cities completed dewatering operations promptly. He said Lahore received 150mm of rain the previous day and claimed that the accumulated water was cleared within an hour and a half. All available resources had been deployed for drainage operations, he added.

The minister said WASA was fully operational across 41 districts and had been equipped with modern machinery. He added that conditions were being monitored continuously through a digital monitoring system, while Safe City cameras were also being used to assist drainage teams during rainfall.

Rs500bn programme still under way

Punjab Minister for Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Zeeshan Rafique also defended the government’s response, saying timely preparations had been made ahead of the monsoon and arrangements were in place to clear water from low-lying areas. He said Punjab was implementing a Rs500 billion development programme, of which around 25 per cent had been completed.

Rafique said 103 underground water-storage tanks had been constructed across Punjab, while the province’s sewerage system was being developed with requirements for the next 25 years in mind. He also said ministers and officials remained in the field throughout the monsoon and that the government’s presence was visible across the province.

Casualties and waterlogging present a different picture

The ministers’ claims, however, contrast with the scale of casualties and disruption reported during the same spell. At least 21 people have died and 154 others have been injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Roof and building collapses accounted for 15 deaths, while three people were electrocuted, two were killed by lightning and one drowned. At least 38 houses were partially damaged.

Lahore received a cumulative 343mm of rainfall over 48 hours, according to authorities. More than 130 locations were reported to be waterlogged, with roads, underpasses and low-lying neighbourhoods submerged.

The Ghazi and Masjid Chowk underpasses were closed, several roads in DHA were affected, and around two feet of water accumulated between Defence Mor and the A Block checkpost.

Power damage, sinkholes and road deaths reported

The rainfall also damaged an 11kV power line near Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Area and Kacha Jail Road. A 19-year-old motorcyclist was critically injured after being electrocuted while travelling through standing water in Chungi Amar Sidhu.

Two sinkholes also appeared in Lahore, including one on Khayaban-e-Firdousi and another on the service road between Bhikay Wala Mor and Farooq Hospital. Both areas were sealed and traffic was diverted while repair work was initiated.

Two teenage brothers were also killed after their motorcycle skidded on a rain-soaked road while they were travelling from Lahore towards Kasur. Traffic police attributed the crash to slippery road conditions.

Punjab minister responds to Sindh criticism

Rafique also responded to criticism from Sindh, arguing that critics of Punjab should focus on conditions in their own province. He said rainwater remained accumulated for days in Karachi and parts of Sindh, and claimed that residents there also wanted development similar to Lahore’s.

While the government has highlighted rapid dewatering, expanded monitoring and continued investment, the fatalities, road closures, damaged infrastructure and widespread waterlogging indicate that significant vulnerabilities remain, particularly as three-quarters of the wider drainage programme has yet to be completed.

Rains across Punjab

According to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), a record 245mm was recorded in Gujranwala, while Lahore received 123mm of rainfall, Sialkot received 139mm of rainfall, and Mandi Bahauddin received 138mm. The PDMA said 117mm of rainfall was recorded in Narowal, 85mm in Hafizabad, 95mm in Gujrat, 70mm in Chakwal, 64mm in Okara, 35mm in Jhang, 33mm in Layyah and 32mm in Jhelum.