LAHORE - Parts of the country including Lahore received heavy rains on Tuesday, bringing life to a standstill by causing urban flooding, massive traffic jams and hours long power outages.
Rain-thundershower associated with gusty winds occurred at scattered places in Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Lahore divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir and at isolated places in Malakand, Peshawar, Zhob and DG Khan divisions.
Downpour disturbed routine in major cities including Lahore as the rainwater inundated roads not only in low-lying areas but also in posh localities. Inundated rainwater roads caused massive traffic jams in urban areas.
The rains, however, made weather pleasant by causing considerable decrease in the mercury level. In Lahore, maximum temperature dropped to 27 degree Celsius.
Car crash, house collape
A car fell into a fenceless drain along a road in Mochi Gate. Locals rescued the family on self help basis. Due to the heavy rains, three houses Dev Samaj Road developed big cracks. After evacuating these houses, rescue team displayed ‘don’t cross’ to warn the people to avoid going near to dangerous structures.
Portion of Lahore Fort’s gate affected
Rain affected the small entrance into Roshnai Gate of Lahore Fort, WCLA spokesman said on Tuesday.
Cloudy weather with chances of rains to go on for another 3 days
“The main gate has not collapsed. The WCLA team will be restoring the small gate in a couple of days,” the official said, adding that the original Roshnai Gate near the Samadhi of Ranjeet Singh and Badshahi Masjid is intact and it should not be confused with this gate.
High velocity winds started blowing early morning that followed by heavy rains. The spell that continued for more than three hours submerged roads and streets in every nook and corner of Lahore in knee deep water. More than five hours break, however, was not enough for Wasa to clear inundated rainwater. The second spell that started at noon and continued till the evening literally drowned the entire Lahore.
Bursts of heavy rains in the morning and steady downpour from noon till the evening turned City roads and streets into lakes and ponds.
Traffice trouble
Major roads, not only in Northern Lahore but also in several posh localities, were presenting pictures of lakes and ponds even hours after stoppage of rains. Many roads were not cleared from inundated rainwater even till filing of this report late night. Many vehicles and motorcycles were seen broken down in various parts of the city. Massive traffic jams were witnessed on major roads.
Most affected areas
Underpasses along Canal Bank Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Lakshami Chowk, Garhi Shahu, Chowk Nakhuda, Mozang, Revaz Garden, Westwood Colony, portions of Raiwind Road, Mozang, Icchra, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Samanabad, Chuburji, Walled City, Shahdara, Dharampura, Baghbanpura, Garhi Shahu, Township, Green Town, Fateh Garh, Mughalpura, Barki Road, Aziz Road, Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Hameed Nizami Road, Mason Road, Ghazi Road, Main Boulevard Iqbal Town, Wahdat Colony, Rehman Pura, Railway Road, Shadbagh, Circular Road, Saidpur, Shahnoor, Scheme Mor, Sabzazar, Abbot Road, Judicial Colony, Montgomery Road, Gawalmandi, Data Nagar, Abdul Karim Road, R A Bazar, Nishat Colony, Haji Camp, Nishter Town, Tajpura, Maskeen Pura, Ali Town, various roads in Johar Town, portions of Canal Road from Tokar Niaz Baig to Jubilee Town, China Scheme, Sultan Pura, McLeod Road, Sir Agha Khan Road, Railways Station, Nicholson Road, Empress Road and Joray Pul were the worst affected areas.
Rain brings Business
activitis to halt
Heavy rains also damaged business activities at all markets. There were traders with their open shops but no buyer. The rains were so heavy for a prolonged duration that the water entered basements in Shah Alam Market, Hall Road and Lahore Hotel, causing loss of millions of rupees to the traders.
outages
Wet conditions and strong winds caused tripping of over 100 Lesco feeders, plunging major portion of Lahore in darkness. As per the Lesco spokesman, rains caused tripping of 60 feeders. He said that another 35 were switched off as precautions to avoid major loss. He said that the affected feeders would be restored gradually.
Trees uprooted
Strong winds caused felling of trees and branches, hampering smooth vehicular movement on a number of roads including the Canal Bank Road and Jail Road.
Flights cancelled
With the exception of cancellation of flight of Air Lanka, flight operation was normal at Allama Iqbal International Air Port. Inclement weather and inundation of track near Kot Lakhpat also disturbed already under stress schedule of Pakistan Railways. Arrival and departure of almost all trains was delayed by more than seven hours.
Forecast
According to the experts, seasonal low lies over north Balochistan with its trough extending northeastwards. Moderate moist currents from Arabian Sea are penetrating upper parts of the country.
Local meteorological department has forecast cloudy weather with chances of rains for the City during the next 2-3 days.
Rain-thundershower/windstorm with isolated heavy falls are expected at scattered places in Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Lahore divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir and at isolated places in Malakand, Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Bannu, Zhob, Multan and Sahiwal divisions. Hot and humid weather is expected elsewhere in the country.
Lahore (250mm rain was recorded at Lakshami Chowk, 217mm at Paniwala Talab, 213mm at Chowk Nakhuda, 203mm at Farakhabad, 143mm at Airport and 142mm at Jail Road).
Hafizabad received 77mm rain, Kasur 60mm, Balakot 44mm, Muzaffarabad 36mm, Mandi Bahauddin 24mm, Attock 22mm, Rawalakot 18mm, Toba Tek Singh and Chakwal 16mm each, Cherat 14mm, Gujranwala 11mm, Islamabad 09mm, Sialkot and Mangla 08mm each, Murree 07mm, Rawalpindi 05mm, DG Khan and Malamjabba 03mm each, Jhang, Faisalabad and Garidupatta 02mm each, Jhelum and Barkhan 01mm each.
