- Punjab CM has directed for measures to drain stormwater.
- Emergency measures are required, says CM Maryam.
- Karachi may receive light rain today, says PMD.
Heavy downpours drenched Lahore as 175 millimetres of rains lashed Punjab’s capital, inundating roads and submerging low-lying areas.
The neighbourhoods of Lakshmi Chowk received 101 mm rain, Pani Wala Talab 71 mm, Qurtuba Chowk, 70 mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 98 mm, Mughalpura 99 mm, Airport 59 mm, Upper Mall 51 mm, Samanabad 65 mm, Iqbal Town 75 mm, Gulberg Town 41 mm, Chowk Nakhuda 88mm, Nishter Town 40 mm, Jail Road 38 mm and Farrukhabad 35 mm.
Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several other areas of the province also received heavy rainfall, causing problems for the residents.
Apart from Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, Nikyal and Barnala areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gujranwala, Jehlam, Mandibahauddin, Hafizabad, Sargodha, Pakpattan and their adjacent areas too experienced heavy showers. A host of areas suffered from power outages as well.
People encountered immense trouble as rainwater accumulated in a large number of areas — including Rawalpindi’s Dhok Kashmirian, Sadiqabad and Dhok Kala Khan as well as Lahore’s Devis Road, Nisbat Road, Gawalmandi, Krishan Nagar, Rajgarh, Mazang, Achara, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Gulberg, Mughalpura, Wasanpura, Badami Bagh and Shahdara.
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) managing director said staff was deployed for water drainage in low-lying areas and arrangements were complete viewing flooding in the Lai Nullah.
Viewing the emergency situation, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the local administration and Wasa authorities to take immediate measures to drain the stormwater in all the cities, including Lahore.
The Punjab CM directed the staff and officers to visit the vulnerable areas and remain in the field till the rainwater was completely drained.
She directed Rescue 1122 and other departments as well to brace up for an emergency situation in advance.
“Work on drainage of main arteries and low-lying areas should continue uninterruptedly. Emergency measures are required to deal with the situation created in various cities because of continuous rain,” she said.
Maryam said rainwater should not be seen in streets and markets, while the traffic police should clear roads for easy flow of vehicular traffic.
Karachi may experience light rain today evening
Karachi is likely to receive drizzle or light rain today (Friday) evening or tonight, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in its daily forecast on Friday.
As per the Met Office, the weather is expected to remain comparatively pleasant after the metropolis has suffered a long spell of heatwave. While, a couple of late intermittent showers have already made a difference.
Sky would remain partly cloudy during the next 24 hours, the PMD said adding strong winds were also likely to blow.
The meteorological department recorded the minimum temperature in the city at 30°C and humidity in the air at 76 %. Whereas, the mercury might rise maximum up to 33-35°C during the day.
The PMD said sea breezes were blowing at the speed of 27 to 32 kilometres an hour.
Meanwhile, as the Met Office predicted on Wednesday, heavy rains are predicted for Karachi after July 20. Which would, if happened, fulfill the Karachiites’ desire as they are still longing to break free from hot weather.
