2 killed, nine injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab

LAHORE: At least two people were killed and nine others injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab during the past 24 hours, Rescue 1122 said on Thursday.

In a statement, Punjab Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said the casualties resulted from the collapse of walls, roofs and a billboard triggered by strong winds and heavy rain.

In Attock, two people were killed and three others injured when a wall collapsed near Naya Pump. In a separate incident in Para Shaheen Bagh, three people sustained injuries after the roof of a house caved in, the spokesperson said.

In Khushab’s Qaidabad area, one person was injured after being struck by lightning. In Sargodha, one person suffered injuries when a signboard collapsed due to strong winds, he added.

In Sheikhupura, one person was injured after a wooden roof collapsed on Chak Risala Road. Rescue 1122 said emergency teams responded to all incidents and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Mandi Bahauddin recorded the highest rainfall of 23mm between 8pm to 11pm on Wednesday. Murree received 17mm, while Hafizabad and Sheikhupura recorded 14mm each.

Other areas received comparatively lighter rainfall, including Gujranwala (11mm), Lahore Airport (10mm), Gujrat (10mm), Garhi Dupatta (10mm), Lahore (6mm), Jhelum (6mm), Mangla (5mm), Kakul (4mm), Balakot (4mm), Barkhan (4mm), Islamabad Zero Point (4mm), Chaklala (4mm), Kotli (3mm), Malam Jabba (3mm), Pattan (1mm), Chakwal (1mm) and Dera Ghazi Khan (1mm).

The PMD said on Monday that a fresh monsoon spell was set to begin across the country in the first week of July.

Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. However, heavy downpours also trigger deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. ...