44-year record broken as 350mm rainfall lashes Lahore
1. Torrential rains hit metropolis; more downpour expected; commuters face trouble due to as roads inundated
Torrential rains on Thursday drenched Lahore, with the city receiving 350 millimeters in just three hours, breaking a 44-year-old record.
The heavy rainfall caused significant flooding, with rainwater entering homes in the Tajpura area, inundating roads, and disrupting early morning commutes. Multiple areas also experienced power outages.
The downpour was not limited to Lahore; cities including Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Pakpattan, Kasur, Jehlum, and several others also received rain, leading to the submersion of low-lying areas.
Sardar Sarfaraz, chief meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, described the rains in Lahore as "torrential." He noted that while there were more rains in Sindh compared to Punjab, this was expected.
"The intensity of this spell is expected to decrease, but intermittent rain will continue until this evening due to a substantial cloud mass. From August 1-6, several parts of the country will see rain," he said.
The heavy downpours have paralyzed the city, with water entering the emergency departments of Services Hospital and Mayo Hospital, causing extreme distress to patients.
According to a spokesperson from the National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP), intermittent rain is ongoing in most places on the national highways.
In Karachi, Sarfaraz reported light to moderate rain, with a maximum of 11-12mm. Some areas of Karachi saw no rain at all.
The chief meteorologist expects the rain to halt tomorrow, but from August 3, another spell is anticipated, continuing until August 6. "We expect heavy rains across the country for the next 10 days," he added.
Areas like Saddar, II Chundrigar Road, Tariq Road, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Sharea Faisal, Airport Road, Malir Halt, and Malir Cantt have been receiving intermittent rain.
