Punjab braces for more after rains claim 70 lives in 48 hours
• PDMA data shows 123 deaths across province since June 25; more than half of which occurred in just past two days
• Flooding alert issued for River Indus at Kalabagh, Chashma; Met Office predicts another five-day spell will hit many parts of the country tomorrow
• Officials claim to have rescued over 1,000 stuck in flooded areas across badly-hit Potohar region
LAHORE / RAWALPINDI: After ten more people lost their lives across Punjab on Friday, it emerged that more than half of all rain-related deaths in the province have occurred in just the last 48 hours.
So far, 123 people have been killed and 462 injured since June 25 as the province received record rainfall, triggering urban flooding which inundated residential areas, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.
Of these, 71 deaths were reported in the past two days alone, and there will be no respite from torrential rain as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued an alert for more downpours from July 20.
Another PDMA alert has warned of a high-level flood in the River Indus at Kalabagh and Chashma over the next 24 hours, with authorities being asked to take precautionary measures.
In a briefing on rescue operations carried out to evacuate people stranded in flooded areas, PDMA DG Irfan Ali Kathia said that said more than 1,000 people were shifted to safe places in the Pothohar region, including 398 in Jhelum, 209 in Chakwal, and 450 in Rawalpindi.
Death toll
Friday’s death toll includes three casualties each in Lahore and Chiniot, two in Okara and one each in Chakwal and Sargodha, according to data released by Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad.
In Chakwal, bodies of two persons who were swept away in torrents were recovered on Friday, while another died after being crushed under a roof which caved due to intense downpour, according to Rescue 1122.
The district was one of the worst-affected areas as it received record rainfall over the last three days. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is expected to visit the district today.
According to Rescue 1122, the body of Tassaduque Hussain, who was swept away on Wednesday night in Saruli torrent near Pinwal village, was recovered near Chak Malook village on Friday noon.
The body of Abdul Rasheed, 42, who was also swept away by gushing water, was also recovered on Friday evening.
Separately, Muhamad Zubair, 36, was sleeping in a room near Aara village when a falling rock hit the roof, causing it to cave. Zubair died at the spot while the two other persons were injured.
Meanwhile, scores of villages in Chakwal were still plunged into darkness as the power supply could not be restored even after three days.
According to Iesco, 99 high tension and 48 low tension poles and 65 transformers were damaged due to intense rainfall.
Iesco Superintendent Engineer Waheed Ahmed Abbasi told Dawn it would take at least 48 hours to fully restore the power supply.
Fresh alert
The PMD and PDMA have issued fresh alerts about more downpours in Punjab and other parts of Pakistan.
The advisories, issued on Friday, directed provincial and district administrations to take precautionary measures as rains with wind and thundershowers are predicted from July 20.
The advisory warned of urban flooding and landslides.
According to the Met Office, monsoon currents are currently penetrating Sindh and the upper parts of the country and likely to intensify from July 20.
A fresh westerly wave is likely to approach upper parts on July 21.
Under the influence of these meteorological conditions, rainfall and thundershowers are expected in Tharparker, Umer Kot, Mirpurkhas, Mithi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Karachi, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Sanghar, Sukkur, Ghotki and Larkana on July 19 and 20. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, similar weather condition is predicted in Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Waziristan, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Hangu and Kurram from July 21 to 25.
In Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, rainfall and thunderstorms are expected in Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur, Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar from July 20 to 26.
In Punjab, downpour is predicted in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Okara, Kasur, Khushab, Sargodha, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, D.G. Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rahimyar Khan, Kot Addu and Layyah from July 19 to 25.
In Balochistan, similar weather conditions are predicted in Lasbella, Awaran, Khuzdar, Quetta, Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Ziarat, Kalat, Sherani, Musakhel, Loralai and Barkhan on July 19 and from July 22 to 25.
The PMD has warned of flash floods in local nullahs of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad and Rawalpindi and hill torrents in D.G. Khan, northeast Punjab and Kashmir from July 21 to 25.
Meanwhile, urban flooding is expected in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Okara, Nowshera and Peshawar. Landslides may cause road closures in hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir and GB.
Nabeel Anwar Dhakku in Chakwal also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2025