Heavy monsoon rains have paralysed Lahore, causing widespread urban flooding, severe traffic congestion, and waterlogging across the city. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Lahore received 343 millimetres of rainfall in the past 48 hours, triggering warnings of urban flooding during the ongoing second spell of the monsoon.
Despite emergency drainage operations by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), rainwater remained stagnant at more than 130 locations. Several roads were submerged under three to four feet of water, disrupting daily life and leaving commuters stranded.
Some of the worst-affected areas included DHA Phases I to V, Main Boulevard, Defence Mor, LUMS Road, Harbanspura, Mall Road, Cooper Road, Lakshmi Chowk, and Chouburji. Authorities also closed the Ghazi and Masjid Chowk underpasses after they were inundated, diverting traffic to alternate routes.
The heavy rainfall also flooded homes in low-lying areas, while multiple sinkholes appeared on Canal Road, Johar Town Main Boulevard, Bhekay Wala Mor, and Khayaban-i-Firdousi, forcing traffic police to cordon off affected sections for repairs.
According to the PDMA, 21 people have died and 154 others have been injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab since the beginning of the monsoon season. Authorities have urged citizens to avoid flooded roads, weak buildings, and exposed electrical installations during heavy rainfall.
WASA officials said all disposal stations are operating at full capacity, with emergency teams, relief camps, and a 24-hour control room actively monitoring the situation. However, residents continue to criticize the city’s drainage infrastructure, saying recurring waterlogging remains a major challenge every monsoon season.
