Eight killed as heavy rains batter parts of country

At least eight people lost their lives, and dozens were injured in separate rain-related incidents across the country, as reported on Saturday night.

Heavy monsoon rains wreaked havoc in several areas, including Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Achakzai, Qilla Abdullah, Ziarat, Pishin, Chaman, Jacobabad, Sukkur, and Khairpur.

Flash floods triggered by the downpour damaged houses, crops, and infrastructure, sweeping away roads and bridges in various regions. Several homes also saw their roofs and boundary walls collapse. In Balochistan, at least 10 people were injured in rain-related incidents.

In Chaman, flash floods washed away a railway track, while another was damaged in Noshki, disrupting the rail link between Pakistan and Iran.

On Saturday, Lahore experienced scattered rains, and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasted cloudy weather with chances of more rain in the next 24 hours.

Faisalabad recorded 131 millimeters of rain the previous day, which brought relief from the intense heat but flooded low-lying areas. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) reported that Madina Town received the highest rainfall at 131mm, while other areas such as Allama Iqbal Colony, Dogar Basti, Gulistan Colony, and Ghulam Muhammad Abad saw significant rainfall as well.

Sukkur was plunged into darkness after receiving 180mm of rain overnight.

The PMD has revised its weather advisory, indicating a shift in the monsoon system from Karachi and lower Sindh towards central and upper Sindh, as well as Balochistan. While the likelihood of heavy rain in Karachi has decreased, light to moderate rainfall is still expected.

Cities in Sindh, including Jacobabad, Larkana, Dadu, Shikarpur, Ghotki, and Sukkur, are likely to experience heavy rainfall. The weather system is expected to affect Sindh until the morning of August 19, with the intensity of rainfall in Karachi diminishing compared to earlier forecasts.

— Additional input from APP