More than 350mm rainfall lashes Lahore, breaks 44-year record

 Lahore: Heavy monsoon downpour lashed the provincial capital on Thursday, breaking a 44-year-old record in just three hours as over 350 millimetres of rain was officially recorded.

The heavy rain flooded streets, roads, underpasses and houses and disrupted electricity supply throughout the city.

The highest rainfall was recorded at Lahore Airport with 337 millimetres, followed by Pani Wala Talab at 203 millimetres, Lakshmi Chowk at 191 millimetres, Upper Mall at 182 millimetres, Mughalpura at 173 millimetres, Tajpura at 180 millimetres, Nishtar Town at 227 millimetres, and Chowk Nakhuda at 163 millimetres.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are expected to bring torrential rains to the upper parts of the country from August 1 to 6, with intermittent breaks.

The three-hour rainfall triggered significant flooding in areas such as Mall Road, Ferozepur Road, Model Town, Faisal Town, Township, Lakshmi Chowk and Anarkali.

As many as 288 feeders of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) tripped due to the rain, causing widespread power outages.

Motorists suffered a great deal of inconvenience on city roads and streets and at underpasses as a good number of them were either stuck in the rainwater.

The rainwater entered the wards of Services Hospital and Lahore General Hospital, creating panic among the patients, attendants and hospital staff. 

The working and performance of the City District Administration and the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) almost exposed to remove water from the roads.