Children among dead as heavy rains, flash floods and lightning strikes devastate regions from Swat to Karachi
Pakistan’s annual monsoon season has turned deadly, with the nationwide death toll rising to 45 by Sunday evening — 13 of those lives lost in just the past 24 hours — as torrential rains continue to lash the country from the north to the southern coastline.
From flash floods roaring down the hills of Swat to fatal roof collapses and electrocutions in urban centers like Karachi and Lahore, the rains have laid bare the country’s fragile infrastructure and patchy disaster preparedness.
Authorities remain on alert, issuing fresh weather warnings for both highland regions and urban low-lying areas, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts further downpours through the week.
Punjab Hit Hard
Punjab has been among the hardest-hit provinces, reporting 13 deaths since Wednesday. Eight of the victims were children crushed beneath collapsing roofs or walls, while the remaining fatalities were caused by flooding incidents.
On Sunday alone, Rescue 1122 confirmed eight more deaths and at least 27 injuries across multiple cities as thunderstorms, gusty winds, and lightning wreaked havoc.
In Lahore’s Shareefpura area of Ahmed Town, tragedy struck when a mud-walled house collapsed during a storm. Twenty-five-year-old Uzma and her seven-month-old daughter, Alina, died on the spot. A third person, 45-year-old Rana Mehmood, was critically injured and rushed to Services Hospital.
Elsewhere in the city, 50-year-old Shahid was killed when a billboard collapsed on his motorcycle near the Abdullah wedding hall on Band Road. His wife Jamila and a child sustained injuries and were admitted to Jinnah Hospital.
Further incidents across Lahore included multiple wall collapses at Nain Sukh Chowk, Pindi Cemetery (Shahdara), and Katar Band Road — all resulting in injuries. In Dharampura’s Infantry Road area, a man was hurt by falling debris while waiting at a bus stop.
Lightning Strikes, Collapses Spread Across Districts
Gujranwala saw two young men lose their lives in separate lightning strikes — Hazira, 25, in Phame Soran (Nowshera Virkan), and Zain, 20, in Bale Wali (Nandpur). Sheikhupura mourned the loss of 10-year-old Saher, who died when a wall collapsed in Khan Pur village. Several more injuries were reported across Kot Abdul Malik, Kathala Virkan, and Chhapa Manaran.
In Kasur, wall and roof collapses in Man Singh Wala and Kot Fatah Baaz Khan left three more injured. Nankana Sahib also reported injuries from collapsing structures along Abdali Yusuf Wala and Jaranwala roads.
In every case, Rescue 1122 teams responded promptly, transporting the wounded to hospitals and clearing blocked roads. Fallen trees were removed from major routes including Canal Road, Model Town, Samanabad, and Dharampura to restore traffic flow.
WASA and City Officials on Alert
In Lahore, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz instructed the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to remain on emergency footing. She emphasized the need for around-the-clock drainage efforts and ordered generators and dewatering pumps to be deployed across key underpasses and flood-prone areas.
Rain was recorded in several neighborhoods, including Lakshmi Chowk, Qurtaba Chowk, Mazang, Shahdara, Islampura, and Gulshan Ravi, triggering water accumulation that prompted fears of urban flooding.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure backup fuel supplies and standby power for pumping stations to prevent delays in drainage.
Ongoing Threats
The national weather office has warned that monsoon activity is expected to continue at least through Saturday. Citizens have been urged to remain indoors during heavy rainfall, avoid unnecessary travel, and call the 1122 emergency helpline in case of emergencies.
With saturated soil, fragile housing, and weak infrastructure, the risk of further casualties remains high — and unless swift, coordinated efforts are made, the toll is likely to climb further.
