Fierce spells of intermittent rains in Lahore paralysed the provincial capital on Saturday as the rainwater submerged the roads and low-lying areas, triggering a response from the city administration to deal with possible emergencies.
Heavy showers once again pounded Punjab’s most populated city, which witnessed highest rainfall in decades earlier this month. The day broke with a cloudburst across the city which inundated the roads and low-lying areas, bringing life to a flooding halt.
The citizens waded through the streets and roads flooded with rainwater across the provincial capital.
Punjab’s Water and Sanitation Agency said that it poured down the most, up to 203 millimetres in the Gulshan-e-Ravi area of Lahore.
Meanwhile, 195 millimetres of rain were recorded in Air Port, 193 millimetres in the Tajpura SDO Office area, and 190 millimetres in Nishtar Town.
As the rain battered the city, at least 70 feeders of the Lahore Electric Supply Company tripped, suspending the power supply to several areas.
Taking notice of the matter, Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited different areas of Lahore to inspect the situation after the downpour. He directed the city administration and WASA to drain the rainwater from the roads quickly while employing all the resources available. Naqvi also ordered the authorities to increase the number of dewatering pumps installed in the city and stay in the field to address the problems faced by citizens.
Moreover, he also ordered all-out efforts to keep the traffic flowing without disruption. The areas included Garden Town, Jail Road, Davies Road, Lakshami Chowk, Lower Mall, Ferozepur Road, Gaddafi Stadium and Kalma Chowk.
Officials have restricted citizens from swimming in the Ravi and canals for a week. They said water levels were rising in the rivers and there were reports of flooding in some villages due to overflowing streams.
In view of the situation, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider said in a notification that the public, especially youth, while visiting River Ravi and canals bathe in these water bodies, do boating and play on their banks, putting their lives in danger.
