Heavy rain hits Lahore as Karachi recovers from downpour
Samanabad received highest amount of rain at 20mm: Met Office
LAHORE: A fresh wave of monsoon rains lashed Lahore on Friday morning, with Canal Road, Davis Road, Garden Town along with several other localities receiving heavy downpour.
Samanabad received highest amount of rain at 20mm. Jail Road received 19mm of rain while Airport and Johar Town witnessed 10mm of rainfall, the Met Office said.
Other parts of Punjab also witnessed a renewed spell of rainfall, including Gujranwala and surrounding towns.
The Met Office has predicted rain and thunderstorm at isolated places in Mirpurkhas, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, D.I. Khan, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad, upper FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
However, mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country, the Met said.
Dewatering continues in Karachi
In Karachi, city authorities and teams of Pakistan Army and Rangers remained busy dewatering inundated areas of the metropolis, after heavy downpour left at least 13 dead, including four children, on Thursday.
A breach in Thado dam, a rainwater retention dam situated on Malir river, flooded two nearby villages and Saadi Town.
The situation prompted deployment of Pakistan Army and Sindh Rangers contingents to carry out rescue efforts in the affected localities.
Pakistan Army deployed 15 teams for the rescue work, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The teams have been working with city authorities to dewater Liaquatabad underpass, Nazimabad underpass, Surjani Town Sector 4, Yousuf Goth and Manghopir Ijtemagah area.
The Pakistan Air Force also allocated two helicopters and an aircraft for rescue work to the Sindh government.
The highest amount of rainfall was recorded at 130.3mm in Nazimabad, followed by Masroor base which received 125mm of rain. PAF Faisal base received 41mm of rain while Gulistan-e-Jauhar received 37mm of rain.
The downpour not only resulted in closing down of around 90 per cent of the city's markets but also led to a halt in traffic on the link road of National Highway and Super Highway as the Goods' Transport Association decided its vehicles would stay put till the situation improved.
Traders suffered losses worth Rs100 million, according to All Karachi Trade Union Chairman Ateeq Mir.
According to the Met Office, the rain system has left Karachi and entered into Balochistan, where rainfall is predicted during the upcoming hours.