LAHORE – Punjab capital Lahore was hit by heavy rain and hailstorms that caused urban flooding and major traffic disruption across several areas. The situation worsened as a severe power breakdown affected the metropolis, with over 250 LESCO feeders tripping and leaving large parts of Lahore without electricity for hours.
Widespread power failures swept across the city on Wednesday, with reports shwoing that more than 250 feeders of LESCO went offline. Entire neighborhoods were left in darkness as electricity outages spread rapidly through the distribution network, effectively bringing large parts of the city to a halt.
The crisis deepened further due to multiple transformer burnouts in different areas, severely slowing down restoration work and prolonging blackouts. Residents across several localities endured hours-long outages amid rising frustration and hardship.
In Harbanspura and Aamir Town, electricity remained suspended for over four hours. In Allama Iqbal Town’s Alhamd Colony, power was cut off since around 4 PM, leaving homes and businesses completely without electricity during peak hours. Similarly, areas along Ghazi Road, Must Iqbal Road, and nearby localities reported outages starting from 3 PM, while residents of Shanghai Road in Pak Town also suffered nearly four hours of continuous blackout.
Meanwhile, forecasts by the Pakistan Meteorological Department had already predicted rainfall in Lahore and upper regions between May 10 and May 12. According to WASA rainfall data recorded at 6:35 PM, Lakshmi Chowk received the highest rainfall in the city at 95mm. Other recorded figures included Pani Wala Talab (79mm), Saggian (53.2mm), Gulshan-e-Ravi (45.8mm), Jail Road (44mm), Tajpura (41.2mm), Chowk Nakhuda (40.2mm), Samanabad (37.4mm), WASA Head Office Gulberg (34.4mm), Airport (33.9mm), Iqbal Town (25.6mm), Upper Mall (26mm), Farrukhabad (20mm), Shadi Pura (11.2mm), Johar Town (8.4mm), Mughalpura (7mm), and Nishter Town (5.8mm). The citywide average rainfall stood at 34mm, with rain having stopped in most areas at the time of reporting.
As crisis unfolded, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued urgent safety warnings, advising citizens to stay away from electric poles and wires and avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing weather spell.
PDMA Director General Omar Javed directed district authorities to ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from affected areas, stating that all relevant institutions—including Rescue 1122 and WASA, would remain fully deployed in the field to manage the emergency.
WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed confirmed that emergency teams had been deployed across the city to clear blocked drains and accelerate drainage operations. Senior officials, including WASA Director General Tayyab Fareed and Punjab Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Minister Bilal Yasin, visited key areas such as Lakshmi Chowk to monitor ongoing efforts.
WASA Vice Chairman Chaudhry Shahabaz Ahmed also visited the monsoon control room and issued strict instructions to keep all disposal stations fully operational. He ordered field staff to remain on high alert, ensure immediate drainage from low-lying areas, and closely monitor vulnerable points including Lakshmi Chowk, Garhi Shahu, Mall Road, and other flood-prone localities.
Hailstorm, Heavy Rain Lash Lahore, bringing relief amid Heat
