At least 5 dead as rains continue to pound Lahore, other parts of Punjab

Heavy rains continued to lash various cities across Punjab on Friday, dealing heavy damage to infrastructure, endangering the lives of citizens, and leading to the deaths of at least five.

Weather experts say the spell is likely to continue during the next couple of days as monsoon currents from Bay of Bengal were penetrating northeastern parts of the country.

A westerly wave is also present over northwestern parts of the country.

Rain-thundershowers were expected in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan.

Isolated rain-thundershowers were expected in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Khanewal.

Heavy falls were expected in Lahore, Kasur, Sahiwal and Okara, according to the weather forecast.

Rain-related deaths

At least five people were reported to have died in the aftermath of the monsoon showers, besides several injured.

The imam of a mosque was electrocuted due to rain in Raiwind, police sources said.

Muhammad Shehzad died after touching a wire while pouring sand on the roof, according to police.

Separetely, four members of a family were buried alive and others sustained serious injuries when a roof of a house collapsed in Chakwal in the early morning hours.

According to rescue officials, three girls and a boy, were killed when the roof of their house collapsed due to heavy rains.

Rescue teams retrieved the bodies from the rubble and pulled out two other persons in an injured condition.

The deceased and injured were taken to a hospital.

Army troops reach flash flood affected Khushab

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army troops reached Khushab to assist civil administration in relief efforts due to flash floods.

Due to recent rains, over 10 villages of Khushab district were affected, said a Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.

Troops of Mangla Corps were carrying damage assessment and busy in relief measures to help affected flood victims in Jabbi, Dhokri, Bhola, Khaliqabad, Waheer, and Hadali areas.

CM Punjab surveys Lahore

In Lahore, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar cancelled his routine meetings to inspect the city situation after heavy rain.

He also inspected an underground water storage facility at Lawrence Road and said that water disposal should be completed at the earliest.

He expressed satisfaction that rainwater was being stored in an underground water storage facility and announced that more facilities would be established in Lahore to solve the water disposal issue permanently.

He asked the administration as well as the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) staff to personally monitor disposal of water.

"The administrative officers and WASA officials should remain in the field until water is cleared and traffic police should actively work for smooth flow of traffic on the city roads," he said.

Buzdar said he was well aware of the difficulties faced by the citizens due to heavy rains and stood by them.

"The disposal of water should be ensured at the earliest and citizens' difficulty should be resolved without any delay," he stressed.

The Punjab chief minister expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in rain-related accidents in different cities and extended sympathies to the bereaved families.

He directed the administration to provide the best treatment facilities to the injured and that all available resources should be utilised for rescue operations.

He said that rain affectees should be provided immediate relief along with arrangements for their boarding and lodging.

"Any negligence will not be tolerated in provision of relief to the affectees," he added.

Rain recorded in Lahore

The highest rainfall of 171mm was recorded in the inner city of Lahore, Wasa officials said.

They said that 153mm rain was recorded in Farrukhabad, 152mm in Lakshmi Chowk, 136mm rain in Tajpura, 128mm at the airport, 112mm in Iqbal Town and Gulberg, 120mm in Chowk Nakhada, and 109mm in Samanabad and Nishtar Town.