Punjab Flooded: At Least 3 Dead as Monsoon Rains Cause Widespread Disruption

Torrential monsoon rains have battered Punjab, Pakistan, leading to at least three deaths and three injuries in rain-related incidents on Monday. The downpours have caused widespread urban flooding, inundating roads and low-lying neighborhoods in multiple cities and severely disrupting traffic and public movement.

The Flood Forecasting Division had previously warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan until August 4. A report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed a man died and another was injured in Bahawalpur due to a house collapse, while two children drowned in Khushab. Roof collapses in Mandi Bahauddin and Lodhran also resulted in injuries.

PDMA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa has placed deputy commissioners on high alert, emphasizing that the Chief Minister is personally overseeing the situation. Emergency services, including Rescue 1122 and the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), have been instructed to maintain personnel and machinery readiness. The Provincial Control Room and District Emergency Operation Centres are actively monitoring the situation around the clock.

Lahore experienced several hours of heavy rain, leading to significant waterlogging in areas like Township, Kacha Jail Road, and Haider Road, with water levels reaching one to one-and-a-half feet deep. This submerged major roads, causing long traffic queues and forcing residents to find alternative routes. Authorities are working to ensure the immediate drainage of rainwater from affected areas to minimize disruption.