Rain leaves Lahore submerged in water

LAHORE: The provincial capital Lahore experienced an unprecedented downpour on Friday, receiving up to 315 millimeters of rain, shattering a 30-year-old record and leaving the city drenched in rainwater.

The Met Office has forecast more rain in the next 24 hours, which could further exacerbate the situation.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director M Ghufran confirmed that this fresh spell had indeed broken the longstanding record, with the Tajpura area recording the highest rainfall at 315 mm. This surpasses last year’s record of 291 mm at Lakshmi Chowk, which received 170 mm of rain this year.

Various neighbourhoods recorded significant rainfall including, Pani Wala Talab 151 mm, Qurtuba Chowk 152 mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 151 mm, Mughalpura 145 mm, Airport 86 mm. Upper Mall 130 mm, Samanabad 153 mm, Iqbal Town 152 mm, Gulberg Town 105 mm, Chowk Nakhuda 155 mm, Nishter Town 162 mm, Jail Road 69 mm and Farrukhabad 140 mm.

Ghufran said that Wasa staff were actively managing the situation. “The water has been removed from Lakshmi Chowk and other areas are also being cleared. Soon, the city will be free of rainwater,” he stated.

He also highlighted the challenges faced by residents due to water accumulation in various areas, including Shah Jamal, Lakshmi Chowk, and Davis Road. Despite the city's preparedness, citizens have struggled with the impact of the heavy rainfall. He reassured the public that Wasa staff, along with other provincial administration officials, were on the ground and ready to manage any further complications from the downpour. "We are continuously monitoring the drainage operation to ensure that the impact on residents is minimised," he added.

The authorities are working tirelessly to restore normalcy and mitigate the impact of this historic rainfall, he said.

Meanwhile, Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique visited various areas of City to assess the ongoing drainage efforts following torrential rainfall. Commissioner Lahore Zaid bin Maqsood, Deputy Commissioner and Wasa MD Ghaffran Ahmad accompanied the minister.

In the initial phase, they visited Lakshmi Chowk and Abid Market where instructions were given to the Wasa staff for swift water drainage. Later, the minister visited Tajpura Scheme area where Wasa officials informed him that the area had broken a 30-year record of rainfall.

Zeeshan Rafique emphasised using all available resources to ensure drainage. The minister also reviewed the water situation near Gaddafi Stadium, remarking that Lahore had witnessed record rainfall today. Under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Wasa and MCL teams remained engaged and Lakshmi Chowk area was cleared within half an hour. He added that efforts were under way to clear Abid Market area promptly. It was revealed that Lahore experienced 316 millimeters of rainfall in most areas, prompting immediate drainage operations to address public concerns.