Two main hospitals of Lahore report water ingress in their emergency rooms
LAHORE : (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 1st, 2024) The provincial capital on Thursday witnessed a record-breaking rainfall that submerged low-lying areas and paralyzed daily life.
The city experienced a torrential downpour, breaking a 44-year record and causing severe flooding.
Since early morning, Lahore has been enduring a heavy monsoon rainstorm. The intense rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, has led to significant flooding in several areas, including Mall Road, Ferozepur Road, Model Town, Faisal Town, Lakshmi Chowk, and Anarkali.
The airport recorded the highest rainfall at 337 millimeters, while other areas saw significant amounts: 203 mm at Paniwala Talaab, 191 mm at Lakshmi Chowk, 182 mm at Upper Mall, 173 mm at Mughalpura, 180 mm at Tajpura, 227 mm at Nishtar Town, and 163 mm at Chowk Nakhuda.
The downpour has turned the city’s streets and main roads into temporary rivers, and caused a complete disruption in daily activities.
In other Punjab cities, such as Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Wazirabad, the heavy rainfall has also alleviated the oppressive heat. Rainfall is continuing intermittently in the Galiyat region, Murree, Nathiagali, Ayubia, and surrounding areas, with concerns about potential landslides.
The Meteorological Department has forecasted ongoing monsoon rains until August 6, with possible rain in Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir. Rain is also expected in Balochistan starting Friday and in Gilgit-Baltistan from Saturday night.
The intense rainfall has also exposed deficiencies in hospital infrastructure. Both Mayo and Services Hospitals reported water ingress in their emergency rooms, with Mayo Hospital’s ICU also affected. This flooding is disrupting patient care and causing difficulties for patients and their families.
General Hospital is similarly inundated, with water entering various wards and impacting medical services.
The heavy rainfall has severely impacted the electricity distribution system in Lahore, causing over 400 LESCO feeders to trip. The reports showed that feeders in various circles including 65 in the First Circle, 93 in the Second Circle, 56 in the Third Circle, 5 in the Fourth Circle, 111 in the Fifth Circle, 18 in the Sixth Circle, 55 in the Seventh Circle, 2 in the Eighth Circle, and 6 in the Model Town Division, are affected.
Due to these outages and technical issues, many areas are experiencing power cuts, causing significant inconvenience to residents. LESCO has initiated efforts to restore electricity, with field staff on high alert and a request for cooperation from the public due to adverse weather conditions.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed relevant departments to remain on high alert due to the heavy rainfall. She instructed administrative officers and WASA officials to be present in the field and ensure prompt drainage of rainwater in Lahore and other cities.
She emphasized using all available resources for efficient water drainage and maintaining traffic flow. Maryam Nawaz ordered a swift completion of the operation to remove rainwater from streets and neighborhoods.
