LAHORE - Weather turned pleasant as heavy rain lashed Lahore on Sunday evening inundating the low-lying areas and creating problems for the motorists and the pedestrians. The downpour which started in the evening continued for more than an hour with rapid intensity causing the mercury to drop to 24 degrees celsius. It came as a great respite for the Lahorities hit hard by the excessive power outages. According to the Met Office another spell of rain was likely to hit Lahore in a few days. Roads and streets in most parts of the city presented the scene of small streams with water gushing out of them. City’s posh neighbourhoods like Gulberg, Cavalry Ground and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) were no exception. In the slums and low-lying areas, rainwater entered the houses but no loss of property or life was reported from any area till the filing of this report. Strong winds and rain also damaged the LESCO feeders as most of the localities remained without electricity and water for quite some time. However, power supply was restored after the rain. The Met Office Sunday recorded 6 to 90 mm of rain in different areas of Lahore. According to the data shared by Met office, Jail Road received 21 mm, Lahore Airport, 90mm, Lakshmi Chowk 40 mm, upper Mall 12 mm, Mughalpura SDO office 32 mm, Head office WASA Gulberg 13 mm, Tajpura SDO office 35 mm, Nishtar Town Director office 30 mm, Chowk Nakhuda 10 mm, Pani Wala Talab 20 mm, Farrukhabad10 mm, Gulshan-e-Ravi 25 mm, Iqbal Town SDO office 6 mm, Samanabad SDO office 17 mm, Johar Town 14 mm and Qartaba Chowk 37 mm of rain. The Met officer has predicted that the recent spell of rain was likely to continue till 30th of June. The recent spell of heavy rains has exposed the administration’s claims of taking precautionary measures as rain water accumulated in different areas of Lahore city including Lahore Board office, Lakshmi Chowk, Jinnah Hospital, Railway station, Defence, Gaddafi Stadium roundabout, Zahoor EIahi road, Gulberg, Defence and many other areas.
DRAINAGE SITUATION IN PROVINCIAL CAPITAL AFTER RAIN
After the rain Deputy Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider visited various vicinities of Lahore to gauge the drainage efforts by the WASA workers. DC Lahore reviewed the drainage in Qurtaba Chowk, Mazang, and Civil Secretariat area. The drainage operations in Bhatti Chowk, Upper Mall, Chowk Na Khuda areas were also examined by her. DC Lahore directed WASA to remove rain water accumulated at various areas of the city as soon as possible besides ordering WASA to carry out special clearance operations in and around cattle markets. DC Lahore vowed to clear all areas before rain expected in the wee hours of Sunday night.
