Heavy monsoon downpours lashed Lahore, its outskirts, and various parts of Punjab over the past 24 hours, flooding low-lying areas and throwing life out of gear. The rain not only inundated roads and residential areas but also exposed the inefficiencies in the city’s drainage and power infrastructure.
According to the Water and Sanitation Agency’s (WASA) Monsoon Control Room, Lahore received an average of 58.8mm of rain. The highest rainfall was recorded in Nishtar Town at 84mm, followed by Lakshmi Chowk (78mm) and Paniwala Talab (74mm). The first spell struck from 2:45am to 5:40am, while a more intense second spell occurred between 10:45am and 12:11pm.
The rainfall quickly overwhelmed the city’s drainage system. Key localities such as Jail Road (63mm), Qurtaba Chowk (68mm), and WASA’s own Head Office in Gulberg (69mm) experienced severe water accumulation. Rainwater mixed with sewage, triggering health concerns as residents struggled through flooded streets.
The heavy rain also caused widespread power outages. As soon as the downpour began, multiple Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) feeders tripped, cutting electricity to large parts of the city. The incident exposed the fragility of the city’s power supply system. In a tragic incident, a child was electrocuted by exposed wiring in the Yakki Gate area.
“We’ve been without electricity since morning, and the stagnant water has made it impossible to leave our homes,” said Rukhsana Bibi, a resident of Mughalpura, which received 60mm of rain.
Residents in Barki Road and other peripheral areas voiced frustration over delayed response from WASA and the district administration. Many accused authorities of prioritising drainage efforts in upscale neighbourhoods, leaving less privileged areas to fend for themselves.
Despite claims by the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) of deploying cleanup teams and clearing over 6,000 waste containers, citizens reported negligible improvements. “The main roads are still underwater, and no one from the administration has shown up,” said Asif Mahmood, a shopkeeper at Lakshmi Chowk.
In low-lying areas like Farrukhabad (49mm) and Johar Town (39mm), residents endured severe waterlogging due to poor drainage infrastructure.
Elsewhere in Punjab, several districts experienced similar weather conditions. Khanewal recorded 51mm, Rawalpindi 42mm, Sahiwal 44mm, Murree 41mm, Okara 30mm, Mandi Bahauddin 27mm, Mangla 24mm, and Toba Tek Singh 13mm. Rain was also reported in Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Multan, and Jhang.
Despite the chaos, the intermittent showers, accompanied by strong winds and lightning, brought temporary relief from the oppressive humidity, offering Lahoris a momentary respite in an otherwise disrupted day.