Lightning, heavy downpour claims around 12 lives across Pakistan

• Heavy rainfall to continue across Pakistan till June 30.
• Downpour in Lahore trips 150 power feeders.
• PMD had advised authorities to remain alert.

Lightning strikes and heavy downpours resulted in the deaths of 12 people and injuries to 15 others in the wee hours of Monday as severe weather conditions hit the country ahead of the monsoon season.

In Punjab's Narowal, Pasrur, Sheikupura, and Sialkot, lightning took the lives of 10 people — including children — and injured seven people.

Heavy rainfall in Lahore also tripped 150 power feeders. Meanwhile, severe rains are pounding the biggest province of the country, with citizens facing multiple troubles — power outages and inundated roads.

As intermittent rain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues, a woman died, and six others were injured when the roof of a house collapsed in Buner's Takhta Band village.

Shabqadar, Swat, Charsadda, Mansehra, Lower Dir, Swabi, and North Waziristan also received heavy rains.

Balochistan's Shela Bagh, Toba Achakzai, Musa Khel, Ziarat Valley, Noshki, and Washuk also received rainfall, resultantly flooding streams. Also, several Azad Jammu and Kashmir cities, including Muzaffarabad, received rainfall.

'Authorities advised to remain alert'

Severe weather conditions will likely prevail as the Met Office has forecast that moist currents are penetrating the country's upper and central parts from the Arabian Sea, and a westerly wave entered the upper parts of the country on June 25.

Under the influence of this weather system, rain/wind-thundershower (with few heavy falls) is expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral, Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kurram, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Mianwali, Sargodha, Hafizabad, MB Din, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh from 24th (night) to June 30 with occasional gaps.

Rain/wind-thundershower with isolated heavy falls is also expected in Barkhan, Loralai, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Kalat, Khuzdar, Zhob, Ziarat, Musakhel, D I Khan, Karak, Waziristan, D G khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Okara, from June 26-29, while in Sukkur, Jacobabad and Larkana on 27-28 June.

In an earlier weather advisory, the PMD also warned that prevailing heat wave conditions would likely subside during the forecast period.

Heavy rainfall may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, and Lahore on June 26 and 27, and may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Heavy rain may cause flash flooding in hill torrents of D G Khan and adjoining areas of north-east Balochistan on June 27.

"All concerned authorities are advised to remain alert and to take necessary precautionary measures during the forecast period," the PMD had added.