Heavy rain lashes parts of country including Karachi and Lahore

Rain lashed Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and areas surrounding the Jinnah International Airport Karachi.

Later, rain took other areas of the port city into its fold and brought temperatures down in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Safoora, Federal B. Area, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Malir, Sadar and several other areas.

In separate rain-related incidents, at least two people died on Saturday. A woman died in Shah Faisal Colony after the roof of a house collapsed during heavy rainfall.

Near Karachi Superhighway, another roof collapse incident was reported, leaving a young boy dead.

According to Met Office, the latest rain spell would continue in Karachi until Monday.

Major roads of Pakistan’s industrial hub including the famed Shahrah-e-Faisal were entirely submerged under rainwater, troubling locals and triggering a massive traffic jam.

Mentioning poor visibility reasons, flight operations were also put on hold at the city’s airport for a brief period during several arrivals were diverted to alternatives routes. The runway was later opened for both domestic and international flights.

Several areas of the city remained without power after nearly 200 feeders tripped immediately when it started raining.

The provincial government has established a rain emergency centre to meet with any untoward situation.

Meanwhile, heavy early morning rainfall badly shattered routine life in the walled city of Lahore following which the provincial government had to delay a planned anti-polio campaign for a week.

Main and linking roads in the city went under water; some 70 feeders tripped leaving locals without power for several hours.

Areas of Lahore including Gulberg, Jail Road, Defence Mor, Mughalpura, Dharampura, Shaukat Town, Firdous Market and others remained under rainwater.

In several parts of the city, rainwater entered residential areas.

Rain brought a pleasant change in the weather across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Federal capital, Kasur, Malakand, Chiniot and Swabi received heavy to moderate rain on Saturday.