Lahore witnessed a record-breaking rainfall of 315 millimetres on Friday, surpassing a 30-year record. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director Muhammad Ghufran confirmed the new record, with the Tajpura area receiving the highest rainfall. Last year, Lakshmi Chowk recorded 291 mm, but this year it saw 170 mm.
WASA’s staff is actively working to clear the accumulated water. “The water has been removed from Lakshmi Chowk and other areas are also being cleared. Soon the city will be cleared of rainwater,” said the WASA MD.
Other affected areas include Pani Wala Talab with 151 mm, Qurtuba Chowk 152 mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 151 mm, and Mughalpura 145 mm, among others. The Met Office has forecast more rain in the next 24 hours, potentially worsening the situation.
The heavy rain also impacted Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several areas in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, causing power outages and flooding. Residents in numerous neighborhoods experienced significant disruption due to the accumulated rainwater.