Record-breaking rainfall hits Lahore

LAHORE: Torrential rainfall lashed Lahore on Wednesday, submerging low-lying areas and urban streets for up to six hours.

The Water and Sanitation Agency Lahore said a 236mm of rainfall was recorded in Lakshmi Chowk.

واسا لاہور کی طرف سے اب تک کا بارش کا ریکارڈ جاری
#wasa #monsoon #rainfall @lahore_wasa @commissionerlhr @LHRDevAuthority @HUDPHED pic.twitter.com/Ym2rgelF27

— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) July 5, 2023

Meanwhile, Punjab caretake Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a tweet that he was continuously monitoring the urban flooding caused by the “record breaking rain of 272ml in just nine hours”. He said that “all cabinet members and administration are in the field to clear the standing water”.

He also said that the Lahore canal has also overflown.

Urban Flooding and record breaking rain of 272ml in just 9 hours causing water ponding on roads in Lahore. Canal has also overflown.
All Cabinet members & Administration are in field to clear the water.
I am also monitoring the situation in field and getting updates from…

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) July 5, 2023

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued an alert, predicting “extremely heavy falls” over the upper catchments of rivers Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab and up to some extent over River Jhelum from July 8 to 10.

“Due to these meteorological conditions, very high to exceptionally high level of flooding is expected in River Chenab,” the PMD said.

While the flooding of rivers Ravi and Sutlej will depend on releases from India, “high to very high level of flooding is also expected in the nullah’s of rivers Ravi and Chenab,” it said.

The Met Office said that heavy rains will continue until July 8 across the country.

Heavy rains are predicted to risk flooding in low-lying urban areas in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and some other cities.

Potential flash floods have also been forecast in the hilly areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and adjoining areas of northeast Balochistan from July 6 to July 8.

Landslides triggered by heavy rainfalls have also been predicted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Murree, Galiyat, Gilgit-Baltistan and the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Met Office has advised commuters, tourists and farmers to be cautious in the coming weeks. It has advised commuters and tourists from travelling during the wet spell.